


Fall of the Moon, Rise of the Sun

by intr0verted



Series: Fall of the Moon, Rise of the Sun [1]
Category: Warrior Cats - Fandom, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Battle, Bisexual, Blood, Cat, Cats, Character Development, Clans, Death, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Fictional, Fighting, Flashbacks, Friendship, Furry, Gay, Gen, Gore, Growth, Heartbreak, Language, Love, M/M, Mystery, Original Cat Clans (Warriors), Original Character(s), Pregnancy, Resentment, Romance, Suspense, Terror, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:00:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 55,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24649123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intr0verted/pseuds/intr0verted
Summary: ~I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING MY 'Clan Information' AND 'Character Lists' WORK BEFORE BEGINNING THIS STORY~I have worked tirelessly to produce a quality, immersive series that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat, and I can't thank you enough for reading! This prologue is the first step in a long journey full of pain, suffering, heartbreak, terror, and death... But also joy, forgiveness, hope, growth, and most importantly, love.Come with me as we follow the tales of Elderclan, Riverclan, Oakclan, and Rootclan. Which path would you like to follow? Which character will you cheer on as they overcome adversity? Which character will you curse to the depths of hell itself?I'm happy to have you by my side! <3 The story wouldn't be the same without you.Now without further ado, let's begin...
Series: Fall of the Moon, Rise of the Sun [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782166
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING MY 'Clan Information' AND 'Character Lists' WORK BEFORE BEGINNING THIS STORY.  
> Italics are thoughts or voices that someone is hearing in their head.  
> Some of the verbiage utilized in this chapter might seem vague, or even illogical at times. That is intentional. This is a story that unfolds the more you read it. If you have any questions about what is going on, or what happened in a particular scene/moment, feel free to reach out to me. Thank you so much for your time, and enjoy.

The night was so warm.

Moonlight filtered down through the tall grass, illuminating the ground into a pale silver. It was completely silent aside from the aggressive lull of restless insects scattered throughout the field. There was something different about this evening. The world seemed to be almost tense with anticipation; holding its breath in fear of what might happen next. It was one of those moments where everything around you slows to a stop, and all that’s left is the beating of your heart. Muscles tense, eyes locked on the thing you fear, petrified that one wrong move might ruin the moment.

A line of trees rests in the distance, difficult to see through the blur of heat. But she had seen them. The day before she had watched them hungrily, mouth watering in excitement just to dry up in terror not a second later. She sees them now, waiting for her. They’re so loud.

Not once in her life had she felt any sense of purpose. Everyday was one foot in front of the other. All she was doing was staying alive, grateful that she walked closer to death with every setting sun; going everywhere and belonging nowhere. But tonight… Tonight was different. Tonight she would be free.

The gentle rise and fall of his chest made him look so peaceful. Heat had made him lazy, and reckless. He was completely sprawled out, exhausted from their journey, refusing to touch pelts amidst the thick summer air. They were always moving, never staying in one place for too long.

“Making friends is dangerous,” he would say. “You never know who you can trust.”

Even now they were completely alone in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but the light of the moon to keep them company. Just the way he liked it.

The last few hours had been spent crawling away inch by inch, rising to a stand just to collapse again at the sound of him shifting. It was crucial he stayed asleep; she knew how much he hated to be woken up. And what was she if not a considerate partner?

Finally she found herself several feet away, her golden eyes locked on his resting form. The dark line of trees crept into her vision, but she refused to meet its gaze. She was afraid that looking up might make too much noise. So there she stood, frozen in place, as the world around her slowed to a stop, and all that was left was the beating of her heart.   
_ One, two, three… _

_ No, I can’t… _

_ You have to… _

_ I can’t. _

_ You must. _

_ One, two, three… _

_ One, two, three… _

_ One… Two… Three… _

_ One… Two… Three… _

_ One… _

_ You can do this. _

_ Two… _

_ Just go. _

_ Three… _

_ Don’t look back. _

The fresh blades of grass sliced against her pelt as she rushed towards the forest, whipping her across the face, threatening to trip her with every step. All she could do was throw herself forward and continue to put one foot in front of the other, as she’d always done. Adrenaline coiled around every limb, flushing her veins as the race began. She had been running for no longer than a minute and yet it felt like an eternity. Every muscle taunted her mind with threats of giving out. The one thing that propelled her onwards was the growing fire that nipped at her heels. The fire of terror, the fire of pain, the fire of isolation. Even now with the wind roaring in her ears and dancing on her pelt, the flames were still near consuming her. She wasn’t truly free. Not yet.

Right as a beautiful seed of hope began to blossom in her heart, a lightning bolt of pain shot down her spine. A wail could barely escape her as venomous claws dragged her back in the direction she came.

“ **_NO_ ** ! Let me GO!” she yowled. Her words cracked with the terror of a newborn kit. She was embarrassed by the sound of her own voice. Shame replaced adrenaline as hot streams of blood stained the field around her. It sprayed along the tall grass, shimmering against the silver light.

_ This can’t be how it ends. Please help me God. _

Heavy paws threw her onto her back, her writhing body visible to no one but the moon. She was completely alone in the world. No one would wonder where she’d gone; not a single soul would miss her. Reality pressed on her chest like a jagged boulder until she felt she could no longer breathe.  _ This is it. _

The length of his body collapsed on her own as his hot spit burned her cheeks. “Why were you running? Why would you do that to me?”

Her eyes began to roll back as her small frame crumbled beneath his weight.

“After everything we’ve been through. You were going to leave? Where the fuck were you going to go? Nobody will ever love you. You know that. So why the fuck were you running?”

A dull numbness spread through her body as he spoke; it was the most at peace she’d felt in years. It would be so easy to let go. To let him crush her.

_ Coward, don’t you dare- Bring me his soul- It’s only the end if you choose it- Stand the fuck up, you fucking child- Pathetic, you weak cunt- Stand now, or fall forever. _

A chorus of voices rose up from the darkness, flooding her senses until she drowned in them. The shock alone was enough to revive her.

“Who are you?” she wailed, terrified.

_ Stand now, or fall forever,  _ they repeated.

“What the fuck are you talking about? It’s me. Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know who I am. You’ll regret that Lily. Say my name. Promise you won’t run. Promise.” Despite the power resting entirely in his hands, he pushed her to submit to him. Begged her to stay. “I’m sorry Lily, okay? Please don’t leave. I need you. Please.”

_ Kill him- Don’t listen to him Lily- Eat his  _ **_soul-_ **

“ _ WHO ARE YOU _ ?!” she cried frantically, face contorted in agony as confusion consumed her. Was she losing her mind? 

_ Come find out, we don’t bite- Yes, we kill instead- Don’t listen to her, just follow my voice- How many times must we say it- Stand the fuck up, you coward- _

The voices began to blur together in her head until she didn’t know which were her own. His enraged words, her cries for help, their screaming…  _ Their  _ screaming.

“ **_STOP_ ** !”

The world fell silent as her wail pierced the sky, electrifying the night like a roar of thunder. Power flushed her limbs as she thrust her back legs into his stomach. Sharp claws pierced his underbelly and she relished in the way he cried.

Gasping for air, she threw herself into a stand, ignoring the agonizing pain that came with every step. She was right back where she started.

The universe seemed to be toying with her; a broken mouse writhing beneath hungry claws. Every night had been spent dreaming of an escape. Through death, through chance, through murder. Even now as she ran, she could feel his body coiled around her own. She would watch the sun fall and cry when the moon began to shine in its place. “Time to sleep,” he would say. “Come here. You know that’s why I can’t let you out of my sight, right? You’re so small… I need to protect you, Lily. Come closer.”

Tears pooled in her eyes as a wave of emotion wracked her whole body. She was so tired. If he caught her again, she knew it would be her last day in this world. But for the first time in a long time, the thought of death scared her. This small taste of freedom had given her a desperation she’d never known before. Suddenly a new life seemed so possible. Suddenly, the voices made sense.

_ Stand now, or fall forever. _

The trees grew larger and larger as she catapulted towards them, eventually skidding to a halt before their looming frames; the lion in front of the lamb. From far away she had been unable to comprehend their magnitude. Thick black trunks faded into the night sky as their roots ensnared the ground beneath them. Mangled and deformed they stood, a dull moan echoing from within the forest’s depths. The forest was in labor. She called to her children, pulling them into the warmth of her bosom before birthing them anew under the light of the moon. Was this her purpose? Was this where she belonged?

“LILY! Get back here! You’ll regret this. I’ll fucking find you Lily. I’ll fucking kill you.”

The sound of his enraged voice drawing closer and closer distracted her from her awe. Panic flushed through her muscles as realization struck; it was time to make a choice.

As she stared into the darkness, suddenly it all made sense. The indescribable pull she’d felt from the moment she laid eyes on it. It had started as a throbbing in her head; a dull hum that made her stomach turn before spreading to her chest. The closer she got, the stronger it felt. It had taken everything she had to hold herself back when all she wanted was to race towards it.

And now here she was, trembling before its disfigured roots, waiting to be devoured.

_ Run _ .

The darkness enveloped her willingly and the earth swiftly gave way to the frantic pounding of her small paws. Each step sent vibrations to the heart of the forest and every creature cowered at its thunderous beating. The world seemed to pulse around her, dragging her deeper into the forest like black quicksand.

She ran and ran for what felt like an eternity. There was nowhere to go, but rather something to run from. She was going to make it. She was already so free. All she could hear was the roaring in her ears as blood pounded through her veins, when suddenly… Silence.

It was as though she’d gone deaf. No insect could be heard, no bird cried from the heavens, not even the wind could walk amongst the trees. A completely empty moment, frozen in time. It took her breath away.

She skidded to a halt in a small clearing where moonlight filtered down through the pale gray leaves. Her head was tilted up in wonder as she bathed in silver, parting her mouth ever so slightly. The air was so crisp. It smelled of fresh snowfall and newly bloomed roses. Yet there was a sickly edge to it; the dull aftertaste of death seemed to dance on her tongue, and what scared her most was how much she liked it.

Everything was still, and perfect. Everything felt like home.

_ Is this freedom? _

“Lily.”

His voice broke the silence like a stone to ice, splintering the air until she could no longer breathe. He had followed her all this way, tracing the stench of her fear to the clearing. She was his obsession, and he would never let her go.

Too horrified to move, she listened as he slowly approached from behind. Her skin crawled as she fell victim to his hungry gaze, and she wondered if this is what it felt like to be hunted. To be moments away from meeting your end, and being too petrified to save yourself.

The warmth of his rancid breath tickled the back of her neck as he stopped beside her. She tasted the air and longed for the crispness that once danced on her tongue. Now, all she was met with was the foul stench of perversion.

“What are you waiting for,” she choked. Her soft words faded to dust as all hope vanished from her golden eyes. “Just do it already.”

Every moment, every breath, had led her one step closer to this moment. It had all been for nothing. The anguish, the rage, the fear, the  _ pain _ … Her life was a broken road that ended at the devil’s door. And as she went limp in his jaws, her throat on fire as fangs sunk deeper, she wondered if she had ever been alive at all.

  
  
  
  
  


_ “Come on Lily, we’re almost there.” _

_ “Where, mama? Tell me pleeease!” _

_ A smile spread across her mother’s face, and Lily swore she had never seen anything so beautiful. _

_ “It’s a surprise,” she whispered teasingly, nudging her daughter further up the hill. Not a moment too soon, a warm sunset came into view. The sky was bathed in red and orange, with golden clouds fading into the horizon. _ _  
_ _ “Wow!” Lily exclaimed, tail shooting straight into the air as she bounded closer to the top. She wanted to run straight into the sun. “It’s so pretty mama.” _

_ The older she-cat finally caught up to her daughter, muscles aching ever so slightly from the strain of the journey. She wrapped her tail lovingly around her kit as tears pooled in her eyes. She loved her so much. _

_ Her gaze shifted up towards the horizon as she watched the sun fall with her child. _

_ “You know something Lily...” she meowed softly. “Whenever you’re feeling blue, just look up. Everything under the clouds is flawed, but the sky itself is always beautiful. It never changes. Whenever you feel alone, just look up and know that I’m there with you.” _

_ The little she-cat nuzzled deep into the warmth of her mother’s underbelly, sighing with content as her words rang in her ears. _

_ “Day to day, one foot in front of the other,” she yawned. _

_ “That’s right, my dear. That’s right.” _

  
  
  
  
  
  


Her lungs slammed violently against her ribs as she gasped for air, golden eyes flying open to stare blankly into the night sky. A searing pain pulsed in her throat as his jaws were torn away. She lied there limply, a sickly gurgle escaping her lips as she choked on her own blood. She was too exhausted to move; too exhausted to comprehend the world around her. Death had befallen her yet here she was, heart beating, mind racing.

_ What’s happening? _

Suddenly, a nauseating yowl filled every inch of the clearing, chilling her down to the very bone. Her body shook with the magnitude of its pain. She had never heard such agony before. It made her want to vomit.

A chorus of revolting sounds echoed from nearby and she found herself praying to a God she didn’t know existed. Flesh being torn from muscle, bones breaking as they’re snapped in two, the thick sludge of innards being pulled from their host. Delighted cackles and enraged snarls blended in with the symphony of his agonized wails, and as the bitter scent of blood flooded her nose, she gagged in horror.  _ God save me. _

As soon as it had started it came to an end, his cries fading to nothing as his soul was devoured. All that remained was the faint drip of blood onto the cold forest floor. She lay there petrified, body trembling as she desperately clung to life. She could hear whispers from the same shadows that dragged his body away, and swore that curious eyes glinted from the darkness.

Moments ticked by slowly as her heart beat softer and softer in her chest. Her mouth hung limply, aside from the occasional twitch of her jaw as she gasped for air. She wondered why the monsters had only taken him. She thought, perhaps even this forest did not want her. Perhaps she was meant to die alone; the lost girl and her broken heart. Her eyes returned to the sky as her mind dreamt of sunsets with her mother. The clearing was cold and dark, but her spirit drifted elsewhere, to warmer, simpler times. The only times in her life she had been happy.

Her ears twitched suddenly as the soft sound of approaching paws graced her senses. She was too tired to care, too tired to be afraid anymore. All fear had been drained from her body, in the same way that blood had been drained from his.

“Is she alive?” someone meowed.

“What the fuck does it look like?”

“Shut up, both of you, or you’ll be the next one wailing on the floor.”

The last voice boomed with such an authority that her own thoughts went silent in compliance with the order.

The footsteps grew closer and closer until a black form towered over her small frame, almost as though it were protecting her. Her heart began to beat faster as she waited helplessly for whatever happened next.

Hot breath wafted over her cheek as massive jaws tasted her scent. All she could see was the faint outline of piercing blue eyes that glowed white beneath the moonlight. As her consciousness slipped away and her eyes flickered shut, the last thing she heard was a stranger’s soothing words in her ears;

“You’re safe now, Lily. Welcome home.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a glimpse of the past, we are launched into the present. Worlds collide as dark meets light in this chapter.  
> Enjoy...
> 
> ***LISTEN TO THIS WHILE READING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58dAcjgtfbk ***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices heard within a character's mind.  
> Rootclan lives in a despairing, female-dominated world, otherwise known as The Dark Forest. No light reaches within it's depths. The moon is eternal, as are the shadows. All who enter never return.  
> The cat's of Rootclan can speak to one another telepathically.  
> Please bear with me; this is my first chapter and I was struggling to find my footing and figure out my writing style! It’s a little rocky and sloppy, so thank you for your patience and please enjoy! <3  
> It’ll only get better from here!

Overhead, the moon shines brightly, watching over the darkness that lies underneath. It is day time, yet no sunlight may venture beyond the trees. Not here.

The clearing is dimly lit; a broad expanse of muddy earth with little to no plant life. Cats of all walks of life are gathered here. Some are sprawled out, paws twitching ever so slightly as something chases them in their dreams. Others sit peacefully in the shadows, eyes glowing faintly as they watch the others. There is no unity to be found here. They are a clan, yet they are all strangers to one another.

Two she-cat’s stand near the center of the clearing, their hackles raised venomously.

“You’ve never fucking seen sunlight,” one snapped. “You can’t say you’ve missed something you’ve never seen.”

“Fuck you, yes I have,” the other replied.

The dispute is almost laughable. So petty, so irrelevant. Yet even the smallest of tiffs in Rootclan can end in death.

“No, you haven’t.”

“You’re already missing a tail, in a minute I’ll take your fucking eyes too.”

“ _ENOUGH_.” Eventually, a deep voice pierced through their incessant chatter, bringing it to a grinding halt. Nearby, a large she-cat emerged from the shadows, a domineering saunter to her steps that dared those around her to challenge her. Her ice cold gaze shimmered beneath the starlight.

“I don’t give a shit who has and hasn’t seen sunlight. It doesn’t matter cause you’ll never fucking see it again. One more word about it and I’ll take _both_ of your eyes.”

Her words were threatening, yet none knew if she truly meant them.

She continued on, walking directly between the two quarreling cats before making her way to the prey pile.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Heartwatcher’s face curl into a smirk, as though she’d somehow won the argument. Losttail on the other hand was more respectful, dipping her head curtly before padding off in the opposite direction.

She was the deputy of Rootclan. Her entire life, she had dreamed of the day when she could demand compliance. Power suited her, but not in a way that made her arrogant. She was simply born to lead. Lucky for her, Spiderstar had seen that in her as well. But rather than guiding an army to success, she spent her days ending petty disputes and ordering the rebellious to stay in line. It exhausted her.

“Blazingfrost…”

The meow came from behind her, just after she’d taken the first bite out of a plump vole. Its blood tasted bitter on her tongue.

She swallowed irritably, refusing to meet their gaze. “Can’t you see I’m trying to eat? What do you want,” she snapped.

A moment of silence passed by before the deputy rolled her eyes and turned to face him. He was small; no bigger than the size of her head. Two silver orbs stared up at her, radiating the innocence of kit-hood.

“Speak,” she demanded, brows creasing in annoyance.

“I was just wondering if, whenever you get the chance, we could maybe go exploring today?” His voice cracked from nervousness, but she took notice of the way his tail twitched excitedly. “We practiced fighting last time, and I had so much fun learning it! Er, learning the moves… The fighting moves. But I was just thinking, maybe this time we can look around? Maybe… Maybe you could take me to the border?”

She watched him condescendingly as he rambled on about adventures and how much he’d love to see the world. The twinkle in his eyes was something that no mother would want to see fade. Except for Brightfrost.

The deputy turned her head to see his mother watching him from the other side of the clearing, her expression stern and calculating. Few mothers would look at their child in disgust, but she was an exception to that rule. She rarely spoke unless spoken to, but when she did have words to share, they cut like the finest blade of ice. Yet despite this, he still wanted her love and acceptance. It would get him killed.

Blazingfrost fixed her gaze back on her rambling apprentice before cutting him off mid-sentence; “Enough. Let me eat in peace. We’ll talk later. Go make yourself useful and don’t bother anyone else,” she ordered crossly, turning to eat more of her vole.

“Okay! Thank you so much! Enjoy your meal!” he chirped, tail shooting straight into the air as he took a step towards her. Her head snapped up as he approached, and she let out a warning hiss. He was the only tom she’d ever met who loved affection. And she was one of the few she-cats she knew who despised it.

“Sorry,” he whispered, guilty but also unable to suppress his excitement. “Uh, see you later Blazing!”

She growled irritably, shaking her head in disbelief before finishing her meal.

~

The forest creaked and moaned the deeper they traveled within. To any outsider it would be a maze; an eternal expanse of mangled roots winding in and out of the earth. But to them? To them it was home.

“This way,” the deputy meowed, leading her apprentice onwards through the trees. “Do you know where we are?”

“Um…”

“Wrong answer,” she snapped. “Try again.”

“I’m sorry Blazing, I don’t know.” His response was pitiful, and it took everything in her power to not cuff his ears right then and there.

“We’re approaching the Eastern border. Pay attention.”

They padded onwards, jumping and climbing their way to their destination. To her it was monotonous, but to the young tom, it was a grand adventure. Every inch of The Dark Forest fascinated him. But what fascinated him even more was the outside world.

As they approached the end of their territory, the red she-cat glanced behind her, watching as he happily sniffed at a mushroom.

“Littlepaw, we need to talk about something.” There was a heaviness to her voice, a heaviness that ran deeper than its usual brooding tones. 

“Yes Blazing?” he meowed, moving his short legs as fast as possible till he walked beside her. He could barely even walk without tripping, let alone run. In every way imaginable he was a failure to the clan; a stain on their legacy. If something didn’t change…

At last they made it to the border, where they were met by a massive expanse of field. Tall grass swayed in the wind, hissing lazily. The world beyond the forest was bathed in golden sunlight; a sunlight that was never allowed inside. There was a distinct line at the border where the shadows of The Dark Forest ended, and the beauty beyond began. It was fascinating.

She bounded atop a nearby root, surveying the field just outside the border while being sure to stay in the shadows.

He awkwardly clawed his way up the root to stand beside her. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Silence hung in the air for another moment as the deputy closed her eyes to listen to the breeze. It was moments like this that challenged her. There was no fight too brutal, no argument too strong, no hunger too consuming. But emotions? Emotions were impossible.

“Do you know why you are one of four toms in the forest?” Her question was simple, and direct.

His small face wrinkled as he thought deeply about her question. Eventually he cocked his head, staring up at her with what seemed to be realization in his eyes.

“No ma’am. I never really thought about it until now…”

The wind continued to whistle around them, tickling the tip of her nose ever so slightly. There was no wind in The Dark Forest. Nothing outside was allowed in. Even the fresh spring air. So she savored these moments at the border, when she could get a taste of the outside world that she had once been apart of.

She shifted her gaze downwards, blinking at him knowingly. Honesty was a virtue, and it was one that she carried close to her heart. It didn’t matter how much it might hurt. The truth was always better than a lie. “If you fail to learn our ways, she will have you killed. Do you understand that, Littlepaw? Because if you don’t, you will die. You will die alone with nobody beside you.” The words tasted bitter but she was happy to release them. She said what needed to be said. Nothing less.

His silver eyes widened in horror as she spoke, but something in their depths told her he already knew. Understanding befell his face to be replaced by a deep sorrow. She watched as his tail drooped and the light dimmed in his gaze. He was by far one of the purest souls she’d ever known.

Her mind wandered back to the day that Spiderstar assigned him to her; the way he’d eagerly rushed forward just to trip on his own tail. He was the laughing stock of the entire clan. But day after day he had proved to be unbreakable. His spirit never faded, his joy was overflowing, and not a single rude word escaped him. He was the only sunlight to be found in the entire forest, and soon he would be destroyed.

“I always knew something was wrong,” he whispered, small tears pooling in his eyes as he sat limply beside her. A sniffle escaped him before he continued; “Nobody here likes me. Even my mothe- Even Brightfrost hates me. She won’t talk to me, ya know? All I want to do is talk.” He stared out over the top of the field, eyes locked on something that wasn’t there. It was almost like he was searching, but didn’t know what for.

Her eyes on the other hand remained locked on his face, her own expression hardening to stone.

“That’s too bad, your mommy doesn’t love you. Get over it,” she meowed coldly. “Every single one of us was broken and came back stronger because of it. We’re here today because of this forest. You either stand strong or fall forever. The choice is yours.”

She knew it had to be this way. The only way to get through to him was with the harsh truth. If the clan went on simply hoping that he would change, he never would. It was out of her hands if he chose to grow or not; the only thing she could control was making him aware of his options. She’d done her part. The rest was up to him.

She followed his gaze out over the field, expecting him to have nothing more to say, when he spoke once more.

“Would you let them kill me?”

The question burned like fire, igniting her throat as she swallowed the weight of his words. Never in her life did she think this was a question she’d have to answer. Never in her life did she think this was a question she’d even have to consider. But here she was, a kit by her side, terrified of being murdered by the ones who should always protect him.

A long pause went by as his words hung in the air, the soft lull of crickets and wind that smelled of oats being the only sound for miles. Her chest rose and fell slowly while her hard gaze remained fixed forward. After some time of thinking she pulled herself to a stand, lean muscles rippling smoothly beneath her dark red fur.

“No. I wouldn’t,” she meowed firmly. Wanting to avoid any more emotion, she began to climb down the mangled root when a distinct howl sounded from the direction of the field. Her head snapped up in shock as her whole body tensed in preparation for a fight. Their moment was over just as quickly as it had begun.

She instantly leapt back up to her original spot at the top of the root, striking blue eyes scanning the sun-lit field for any sign of life.

“Get behind me,” she ordered, hearing his small paws scrabble nervously as he headed towards the trunk, already having forgotten her earlier words.

Cats almost never ventured this close to the border, especially not toms. It seemed to be known that any who entered The Dark Forest would not return. Few were willing to take the risk, and those who did paid dearly. So what were they doing now?

The two Rootclan cat’s sat silently on the mangled root, concealed entirely by the shadows as they strained to listen to the world below.

“You snooze, you lose!” a cheerful voice boomed from below where a flash of orange instantly caught Blazingfrost's eye. A bushy tail appeared, just to be followed by two more.

 _Three of them_?

“You must know from experience then?” a different, more feminine voice replied.

“Oh I’ll get you for that one!” the first voice replied. A flurry of excited squeals broke out, the tall grass of the field shaking wildly as the two strangers presumably raced towards the border.

“ _What_ are they _doing_?” the deputy hissed under her breath, not moving a muscle.

Eventually they burst out into the blank stretch of land that rested between the field and the mangled roots of the forest, sides heaving from exhaustion. One of them was a tom whose fur blazed like a thousand suns, and at his side was a she-cat who looked nearly the same.

 _They must be siblings_.

While they playfully swatted at one another, a brown tabby waddled out slowly from the tall grass, mid-yawn. “Guys, slow down. You’re already warriors, there’s nobody to impress.”

“You’re just mad cause you’re too fat to run,” the she-cat scoffed rudely, but to Blazingfrost’s shock the brown tom simply shrugged, seemingly unphased before flopping onto his side.

The orange she-cat's brother was already disinterested in their interaction and had distractedly wandered closer to the forest. Blazingfrost felt her muscles tense as her eyes narrowed to slits.

_Don’t do it. Don’t do it._

Right as he got to its very base, he came to a complete stop. The deputy released the breath she’d been holding, completely forgetting about her apprentice. It was hard to focus on anything else when three foolish kids were moments away from being slaughtered. All she could think was how lucky they were that it was her watching them from above. If any other Rootclan cat had seen them, they’d be dead by now.

“Cinderstripe, Birchfeather, come look at this!” the orange tom called over his shoulder, gesturing to his friends with a flick of his tail. His sister quickly bounded over and Blazingfrost saw the wonder flair in her eyes. By the way she stared into the trees, the deputy could tell she was a cat of courage, never turning down the chance to prove her bravery. But now was not the time, or the place.

“Man, those trees are almost uglier than you..”

“Oh, shut up Flamepelt,” she hissed, swatting his ear with her paw before hypocritically adding on to her brother's jab. “They’re almost as fat as Birchfeather, too.”

The two voices rose in a chorus of laughter at the brown tom’s expense. Yet again, he didn’t seem to care and was sprawled out lazily on his side.

 _Is he trying to_ **_nap_ **?

“Oh no, you called me fat again. What will I do,” Birchfeather meowed flatly, sarcasm lathering every word.

“Oh c’mon Birch, Graywolf used to tell me stories all the time of all the mischief you and Spruceheart got into as kits. Where did that version of you go? Bring him back. I miss him so...” Cinderpelt meowed dramatically.

“I always knew you were in love with him. This is proof,” Flamepelt teased her. It was like he couldn’t help himself.

The three cats continued on in their banter, unknowing of the deputy’s eyes following their every move.

She sat frozen on the root, trying to figure out who they were and where they’d come from. They were clearly from another clan. Rootclan did not fraternize with the outside world, but they did observe it, and based on her limited knowledge, she assumed these were members of Oakclan. Loud, energetic, _annoying_. Everything that she despised.

She listened quietly as they all talked, too wrapped up in watching them to notice her apprentice making his way down the side of the root. He flopped ungracefully onto the forest floor, shaking the dirt off of his pelt before making his way towards the group.

Blazingfrost’s eyes shifted back and forth from one cat to the next, waiting to see if she needed to take action, when a white speck came into her peripheral.

“Hello!”

The sweet lull of Littlepaw’s voice graced her ears a moment too late. She watched in horror as he stepped into the sunlight, crossing the border into the outside world.

Her lip curled back as anger spread through her chest like a wildfire. What the actual fuck was he doing?

 _Do you not remember a single word I fucking said? Get back here,_ **_NOW_ ** _!_

Her words were clearly lost on him as he hobbled onwards, eager to make new friends. Sometimes she wondered how he wasn’t dead already.

“Hello?” he meowed again, finally getting their attention.

Flamepelt was the first to notice, immediately grinning from ear to ear. “Woah!” he exclaimed as he made his way over. “How’s it hangin’ little dude?”

He dropped down until he was eye level with the kit, waggling his haunches in the air. “Where’d you come from?!”

Blazingfrost could practically hear Littlepaw’s purring from all the way up in the tree. This was his dream, and her nightmare.

“I live in the forest!” Littlepaw exclaimed, his eyes reflecting the same excitement he’d had earlier that day. “It’s nice to meet new people.”

“It _is_ nice to meet new people!” A warm laugh rumbled deep in Flamepelt's throat as his sister appeared at his side.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Cinderstripe asked bluntly. While she wasn’t as friendly as her brother, it was obvious that their curiosity was equally matched.

Littlepaw told her the same thing he’d told Flamepelt before asking what their names were and where they came from.

Blazingfrost’s mind raced as the scene unfolded before her, her body trembling from suppressed anger. He was lucky he was so young; any older, and he would’ve met her wrath for his stupidity. The reputation that The Dark Forest once held with Oakclan would now be shattered. What was to stop them from attacking if they knew that the eternal darkness held Littlepaw within its depths? The one single cat in all the forest that evil had not touched? He was not the Shadow Walker they needed to meet.

As the deputy tormented over what this meant for her clan, the three cats talked on, completely unaware of what they had started.

“I can’t believe you came from the forest! Is your mom with you? Where is the rest of your clan?” Flamepelt questioned, looking back in the direction that the young tom came from.

“Mmm, no… Everyone is back at camp,” he replied, shuffling his front paws together. “But my mentor is here! Blazing, come say hi!"

The orange tabby exchanged a glance with his sister, and instantly the deputy knew what was happening. They were using Littlepaw to learn about The Dark Forest. They were using him to gauge how much of a threat it was.

The burning in her chest spread to the tip of her tail as the frost in her eyes crackled with blue fire. She had to do something. But what? They knew she was there now, there was no turning back. While she was confident in her strength, a three versus one fight would leave her battered and wounded, especially if they had proper training. Her best bet was relying on fear. That was the one thing that warded off all onlookers. The way the trees groaned in pain as they stood in the darkness. The way distorted and misshapen roots whispered your name. The way that hungry eyes glinted at you from the shadows. The mystery is what made the forest so powerful. The mystery is what gave it its name.

But little did they know that for all of Littlepaw's innocence, his very presence brought them closer to death. She could hear them trekking in the shadows, fading through time and space as their bodies become one with the darkness. Losing all color, losing all form, losing all sense of one’s being. Just pale eyes drifting onwards to wherever the night takes them. She could feel her clanmates getting closer and closer with every breath. And they were hungry.

The brother and sister were now scanning the tree-line, looking for her. She knew the search would continue until she was found. _Better to be one step ahead than one step behind._

The thud of her paws on the forest floor sent waves of energy pulsating through the trees, awakening every demon who rested in their branches. The one distinguishable feature amongst the shadows was her ravenous eyes that told stories of anguish, and suffering. She wondered, if they peered into their depths, what would they find? What were their greatest fears? It was time to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** End the YouTube video now ***


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the last chapter, shifted to the perspective of the Oakclan cats...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices inside of a characters head.

It was probably the cutest kitten he’d ever laid eyes on.

The last thing he’d expected to see when staring into the oh-so-scary darkness was this little guy. He was like a rabbit, minus the edibility part. In less than a minute he already wanted to scoop him up and take him home. But that brought him to one question… Why was he here?

“I can’t believe you came from the forest! Is your mom with you? Where is the rest of your clan?” The orange tom did his best to stay eye level with his new friend, matching his excitedness and positivity.

“Mmm, no… Everyone is back at camp.... But my mentor is here! Blazing, come say hi!”

_Blazing?_

The mention of another cat piqued his curiosity like never before. He was too distracted by the mystery of things to realize that this meant they were being watched.

“Where are they?” Cinderstripe demanded, far more alert than he was. Her intense gaze repeatedly swept the trees in front of them, as though waiting for something to jump out.

“They’re over there!” Littlepaw purred in reply, turning to look back in the direction he’d come from.

Flamepelt stood back to a stand and joined her in her search. After a moment he shrugged, fixing his attention back on the kit. “I don’t see anyone.”

“No, she’s here, I promise!” the kit continued to insist, beginning to walk towards the forest when Cinderstripe stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Are there a lot of cats back at your camp?”

“Oh yeah, tons! They don’t like me very much though…”

“How many?” she pushed, not interested in his sob story.

“Oh leave the poor guy alone! Why don’t they like you?” Flamepelt intercepted by walking in between the kit and his clanmate, guiding the younger cat away with his tail. She was always so aggressive with everything; he knew that the best way to get to know anyone was with patience. Not by being bossy and dismissive.

“Well, I think it’s because I’m-”

“ **_Flamepelt_ **!”

Cinderstripe’s panicked exclamation made him whip around, claws already unsheathed from shock. “What?!” he replied, bounding back to her side as Littlepaw hobbled behind in confusion. “What’s going on?” he pushed again, quickly following her line of sight to see what had triggered her outburst.

His gaze finally landed on a pair of pale blue eyes floating in the darkness, enveloped in shadows and attached to no one. The very image alone sent chills down his spine, as though the temperature had plummeted 50 degrees. He was surprised he didn’t see his own breath filling the air in front of him.

“What is that?” she hissed, seemingly just as frozen in place as he was.

“I don’t know,” he whispered. This place had never scared him before. To him, it was nothing more than a made-up nightmare. But now, as he looked that nightmare in the face, something told him that it was very, very real.

There had been many stories told of what went on between the trees. The tales stretched far and wide, spreading like a wildfire merely days after the forest went dark. Apparently it was once vibrant and teeming with life. A true paradise, some had called it. Then one day the sun seemed to fall a little too early, and by the next morning, everything within its grasp had shriveled and turned to rot. Any living thing that was unfortunate enough to venture in never came back out, but it was said that if you looked close enough, you could see the shadows walking. Now as he stood here, he wondered to himself if this one would move too.

“We should go, they’re probably looking for us,” he meowed breathlessly to his companion, not wanting to admit to the fear that struck his heart. He knew that she too was terrified, but he also knew that pride meant more to her than being alive.

“Show yourself, then! Coward!” she called, venom in her voice. Confusion flickered across Flamepelt’s face at her words but he remained quiet. A brief moment passed where nothing happened. Everyone stood unmoving in the deafening silence, tense muscles writhing just underneath the skin, ready to strike.

“It’s just Blazingfrost, she won’t hurt you!”

Suddenly a voice that held such innocence struck the air like lightning, making the two warriors jump in surprise.

“Shhh!” Cinderstripe hissed, fury roaring in her gaze as her head snapped to face the kit. That was all it had taken for the pale eyes to disappear back into the darkness. “Fuck, where’d they go!?”

She began to scan the forest aggressively, ignoring the hurt look that flashed across the young tom’s face. Just as it had done earlier, his tail drooped in sadness as he stared at the ground.

Flamepelt was the first to notice, but the friendly concern he’d felt before was now replaced by nervous tension. He did his best to stay positive and leaned his head down, smiling awkwardly. “Er, Littlepaw, I think it’s time for us to say goodbye, hm? Perhaps we can see you later. But I think your mentor is worried about you.”

“Yeah... You’re probably right…” he meowed, concern flickering across his face. He seemed uncomfortable, but Flamepelt couldn’t quite figure out why. Was he in danger? Surely he couldn’t be, considering how adamant he’d been that his friend would not bring them harm. But when he’d stared into the shadow's eyes, they told a very different story. “Well, it was so great meeting you! I’ll see you guys later!”

The orange warrior chuckled nervously as Littlepaw nuzzled against his legs before shyly running past Cinderstripe. She did not return his goodbyes and kept her focus locked on the forest. Her ears twitched as though she were listening to something. But what? He had to hand it to her; fear would never hold her back.

They continued to stare in the direction he came from, both of their minds reeling with the same questions. For decades this place had been the breeding ground for all things ghoulish and unknown. All the clans had refused to pry into its existence out of fear of what lay within. But for the very first time, the outside world had received a glimpse inside. Now it was up to them to decide what to do next.

“Who was that?” Birchfeather suddenly meowed from behind them, his mouth gaping open in a huge yawn. Luckily his voice wasn’t as startling as the kits.

“What do you mean who was that? Where were you this whole time? Oh, let me guess, napping?” Cinderstripe snapped.

The brown tom’s face soured ever so slightly at her words, but aside from that he said nothing.

The three of them stood together in silence for a while, unsure of what to do next. An indescribable tension hung in the air as though the eyes in the forest were still on them, watching their every move. Flamepelt felt like even if he were to walk away right this second, they would follow him in the shadows. Watching. Waiting.

He shivered ever so slightly at the thought before turning his back on the forest. There was nothing that could be done now.

“Well, you sure got that adventure you wanted, huh?” he chuckled awkwardly, looking over his shoulder to see if she was following. She seemed to be far too lost in her own thoughts and refused to look away from the forest. Meanwhile, Birchfeather had already begun to head back into the field, seemingly unphased by the day’s events.

“Uh, Birch, wait up!” he called before bounding into the tall grass after him.

~

The orange she-cat stayed behind as her clanmates left, continuing to stare into the endless expanse of trees. It was like she was waiting for something to walk out of the darkness. Or rather, did she want something to walk out of darkness?

Time ticked by as she stood there, her head pounding as she tried to make sense of what had happened. Why hadn’t the toms reacted in the same way she had? It didn’t take long for her to figure out. The voices that spoke were meant only for her. Suddenly the world around her seemed to slow to a stop as the lull of insects faded softly, and all that was left was the beating of her heart.

_We’re watching you, Cinderstripe. There’s no turning back now._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse inside of Oakclan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

The clearing was bathed in sunlight, broken twigs and fallen leaves resting along its edges. At its center was a large expanse of dust that glowed gold beneath the sun’s rays. Paw prints big and small were scattered across it, telling stories of blossoming friendships and grand adventures.

Everything about it exuded warmth, and confidence. It was the kind of place that the lonely and bitter dreamt of finding. But for those already within its depths, the search was finally over. For those already within its depths, it was home.

Spruceheart was pacing restlessly near the camp’s entrance, doing his best to hide his angst and failing miserably. All he wanted to do day and night was prove himself. Productivity and determination flowed through his veins, and not a single moment passed by where he felt content. There was always something to be done, always another task at hand. But now at this point in time, all he had to do was wait.

A hunting patrol had left without him and the evening border patrol had not been decided yet. Flamepelt, Cinderstripe, and his brother had urged him to join them on an afternoon stroll, but he had declined. What if something were to happen back at camp and they needed his assistance? It was always better to be safe than sorry.

After a moment he sat down in the main entrance, a soft breeze tickling his nose before making its way into camp. The voices of his clanmates could be heard from behind him as they chatted fondly with one another. An occasional laugh boomed through the air, its warmth drawing in anyone within earshot.

He finally fixed his attention on the forest in front of him, just to be pulled away not a moment later by the lull of a gentle voice.

“Having fun over here?”

He knew who it was before even laying eyes on them.

Her sweet scent had filled the air, growing stronger with every step forward. It danced on his tongue like rain before flooding his senses entirely. _Honeypool_.

The brown warrior turned to face his clanmate, allowing his previously stern expression to fade into one of warmth. She was soft, and kind. He welcomed her company.

Amusement flickered in his gaze at her words and he eyed her kindly. “Hm, you could say that…”

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he stared down at her. She was half his size, and her shy posture made her appear even smaller. She sat down beside him and stared out in the direction he’d previously been looking in. He could tell she wore a soft smile, content to simply be beside him.

Few cats in Oakclan were able to sit in silence. Part of their charm was the ability to hold a lively conversation, full of stories and laughter to be remembered for years to come. But he had always preferred the quiet. The moment’s where you simply exist, with nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company. As time slowly ticked by and no words were shared between them, he could tell that she appreciated the silence too.

But unfortunately for them, silence was meant to be broken.

“I’m not kidding dude, he came out of nowhere. I still can’t believe you missed the whole thing. Cinderstripe literally screamed. Like, out loud. With her mouth.”

Flamepelt’s voice could be heard from a mile away, jolting Spruceheart to a stand. He parted his mouth slightly, tasting the air for his brother, Birchfeather. Relief flushed him when he detected his scent. They were safe. Or at least, two of them were.

“It’s Cinderstripe. She’s always being loud,” Spruceheart heard his brother retort. They were getting closer.

“Still, I can’t believe it didn’t wake you up. I can’t believe you were sleeping to begin with.”

“I can’t believe how much you can’t believe things.”

A group of ferns shifted just in time to reveal Flamepelt casting an annoyed glare over his shoulder at Birchfeather’s snippy words. A deep chuckle rattled in Spruceheart’s chest at the sight. After all this time, few clan cats had learned to appreciate his brother’s attitude. And even fewer understood that it meant absolutely nothing.

Birchfeather couldn’t care less about most things in life, and the only way he truly expressed that was through sarcastic remarks. Hopefully someday they would catch on.

Just as quickly as Flamepelt’s irritation had appeared it faded away to be replaced by his usual cheerful expression.

“Hey, Spruce, hey Honeypool! How’s it hangin. Wow, you guys look like you’re just having too much fun to handle. Staring into the forest… And stuff. I’ll leave you lovebirds to it!” he meowed, making his way around them and bounding into camp. Not a moment later he was met with a chorus of greetings and friendly questions.

Spruceheart cleared his throat awkwardly, hesitant to look down at Honeypool. He could feel the discomfort rolling off of her in waves.

 _Lovebirds_? he wondered.

Their outgoing clanmate wasn’t exactly a deep thinker. He’d most likely not even considered how bold his words were; especially to a cat like her.

“I’m gonna go,” she whispered suddenly, beginning to back up towards the clearing. “Thanks, Spruceheart…”

And just like that, she was gone.

The large tom felt a sadness twitch in his heart as his face soured ever so slightly.

Lucky for him, Birchfeather shattered the moment by sauntering up, mouth gaping open in an obnoxious yawn.

“You just woke up from a nap, but you’re already yawning again?” Spruceheart meowed accusingly.

His brother shrugged in response.

“Well, how’d it go? Why was Cinderstripe screaming?” he pressed, wanting to know more. Curiosity always got the best of him.

“I don’t really know. Flamepelt said that some random kitten came out of nowhere, and then they talked to it, and then-”

“Where were you?” Spruceheart cut him off. ‘Out of nowhere’ was an awful description. “You had to be somewhere.”

“We were near that creepy forest. Anyways-”

“You mean The _Dark_ Forest?” Spruceheart hissed in disbelief, cutting him off a second time.

“Dude, if you’re not gonna let me finish the story, then let me just go inside.”

“I can’t believe you went to The Dark Forest. Brindlepelt would implode if she found out. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? What possibly went through your heads that made you guys think that was a good idea? Nothing but bad things have happened there. There’s a _reason_ no one gets close.” The tabby warrior could barely believe what he’d just heard. Out of all the places they could’ve walked to, out of all the places they could’ve explored, they chose there. The one place that was forbidden.

Birchfeather had stopped listening halfway through his brother’s lecture, beginning to groom himself out of boredom.

“Are you listening to me, Birch?” Spruceheart hissed.

“Hm?” Birchfeather replied, meeting Spruceheart’s gaze, seeing the anger that blazed in his eyes. But Birchfeather also saw deeply rooted worry there, too. While Birchfeather could never relate, he understood why his brother was the way he was. Always paranoid, always expecting the worst. Spruceheart had never been the same since the accident.

Sighing heavily, he rose back to a stand, staring sympathetically into Spruceheart’s troubled gaze.

“I know you’re mad. I get that. But you can’t change what happened. We made it back safe and sound, just like we do every time. Next time, why don’t you come with us. We don’t have to go there again. We’ll go somewhere else. Just like old times. Okay?”

A multitude of emotions flashed across Spruceheart’s face as his brother spoke. He was completely conflicted. His anger was so strong, but Birchfeather was right; what’s done was done. All that mattered was that they’d made it back safe. _They_ made it back...

“Where is Cinderstripe?” he exclaimed suddenly.

Birchfeather seemed totally taken off guard by the question, and for once, genuine concern seemed to flicker across his face as well. “She was right behind us. She’ll probably be here any minute,” he meowed in response, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Spruceheart.

The two toms turned to stare at the ferns that Flamepelt had emerged from earlier. It was as though they expected her to appear at any moment. But the moments passed, and she never came.

Without another word, Spruceheart took off in the direction of The Dark Forest, determined to find his clanmate and make sure she was safe. Birchfeather hesitated briefly before beginning to make his way after his brother, just to stop dead in his tracks at the sound of pained yowling.

“You fucking _idiot_! What are you doing?!”

Cinderstripe’s infuriated hiss met his ears seconds later. He rushed through the ferns just to see his brother and the she-cat stumbling to a stand a few tail lengths away.

“You can’t say you didn’t see me coming, I’m bright fucking orange,” she continued on, tail lashing as she shook dead leaves out of her fur.

“Er, sorry,” Spruceheart meowed, rolling to an awkward stand.

He must’ve crashed right into her.

“You should be sorry!” she snapped, storming around him and casting a dirty look at Birchfeather. “What are you looking at?”

The brothers watched as she disappeared into the foliage, making her way back to camp.

“Well, at least you saved her,” Birchfeather meowed, knowing Spruceheart wouldn’t find it funny even before it came out of his mouth. He didn’t care though. He said it anyways.

“Haha, you’re hilarious,” Spruceheart grumbled, shouldering his way past his brother.

The brown tabby smirked mischievously before turning around and following him, tail waving high in the air.

~

Night came faster than expected due to the excitement that took place earlier in the day. Flameheart had rambled on to any cat that wanted to hear, effortlessly turning the chilling experience into a thrilling story for all of his clanmates. They’d flocked around him like vultures, eyes wide in curiosity. Unfortunately for the tom, though, few believed him. It was one of many tales to fall into a pile of rumors.

The excitement that surrounded the forest had stemmed from fear and mystery, but once the clans had accepted it to be dangerous, the thrill faded away. It was just one of many things to avoid if you wanted to stay alive. Any stories involving it were written off as boring, or fake.

To Flamepelt’s surprise, Cinderstripe had remained silent when he relayed the day’s events, even going so far as to wander into the warrior’s den. He’d approached her afterwards to ask what was wrong, but she’d swiftly shut him up, telling him to “drop it.” That they must’ve been “seeing things.” Confused and defeated, he'd left her alone. All that was left of the adventure was his personal recollection, which he even now doubted.

Rather than allowing the negative thoughts to consume him, Flamepelt had curled up in his nest beside her before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Meanwhile Ravenpelt lay outside, enjoying the shade of a tall bush as she hid from the moonlight. Her whole life had been spent alone as she ventured from one place to the next. Even though she’d been with the clan for many moons, the loner in her would never be able to adapt to every aspect of their life. Especially not sharing pelts at night. Her eyelids began to fall as time ticked on, the image of Braveheart and Tigerblossom standing guard slowly fading from her view. Right before she slipped under, a faint whine graced her ears. She immediately sat up right, knowing what it was. Nobody else seemed to notice but her.

The she-cat calmly rose to a stand, sleek black pelt turning silver under the moon as she made her way to the leader’s den. She stood patiently in the entrance as her eyes adjusted to the dark.

Ruggedstar lay on his side, legs jerking ever so slightly as his eyes rolled frantically beneath their lids. The rise and fall of his chest was rapid as he seemingly struggled for air. He was running somewhere in his dreams. Running as fast as possible to a place he would never reach. It was hard to watch.

“Ruggedstar,” she whispered, placing a paw on his side. She shook him gently before taking a step back as he jolted awake. He gasped aloud as air filled his lungs, eyes flying open to reveal the panic blazing in their golden depths. It took him a moment to calm down and realize where he was.

She watched as the frantic, confused tom hardened into the tom they all knew and loved; the unbreakable leader of Oakclan. The fear vanished from his eyes to be replaced by chosen strength, and his jaw tightened to stone as he grounded himself in reality. His body loomed over her own, and even in the dark she could see the pride with which he carried himself. A beacon of confidence, and resolution. There was no one in the world that she respected more.

“You were dreaming about her again. Weren’t you?” she meowed. The question filled the emptiness in the air, settling around them in a sea of heavy fog. It took him a moment to reply, as though he were wondering the same thing himself.

“Yes,” he finally spoke, staring through the darkness at a point over her head, refusing to meet her gaze. His voice was deep, and stern, but there was a comforting warmth to it. Something about it made you feel safe. Like everything was going to be alright.

She took a seat in front of him, wanting to give him the space to work through his thoughts. Her presence would be enough.

“I can’t get her out of my head,” he spoke again, a rough anger seeping into his words. He almost sounded resentful. “Every night, she’s there. I see her, I run to her as fast as I can. I call her name. But I never reach her.”

The black she-cat watched him, chills running along her spine as he finally met her gaze. She saw the pain that rest in her friend’s eyes and felt humbled that he let her bear witness to it. He was always strong for them; a moment of weakness never befell him. Strength, wit, charm, beauty. He was everything the clan aspired to be. But whenever the sun falls and the moon shines through the trees, she catches a glimpse of who he once was. A golden heart in a brutal world, who misses her so much he can barely breathe.

“It will never stop hurting, but it will fade away,” she meowed calmly. Moments passed by without another word being said, and for once, the silence wasn’t deafening, but rather peaceful. Sometimes, silence was a response in itself.

He sat with her in the dark, eyes flashing hauntingly as light reflected against them. All that was to be heard was his rough breathing that warmed the air around him. She could feel the heat rolling off of his body, his scent dancing on her tongue and igniting her senses. But all she did was sit there calmly, hiding every emotion but concern. Concern was the only emotion he needed from her right now. The rest were to be dealt with by her, and her alone.

“Thank you, Ravenpelt,” he finally rumbled. Even in the dark she could see the gratitude in his eyes. “You may go now.”

The black warrior dipped her head respectfully before rising to a stand, turning to walk away when she paused suddenly. She looked over her shoulder at him, meeting his gaze before meowing, “She could still be out there, Rugged. And I bet she’s dreaming of you too.”

His expression was unreadable in the darkness, but she knew he understood. That was all she needed as she faced forward again, making her way back to the shadows with sadness in her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take a peek inside of Riverclan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

The sun struck the water’s surface at just the right angle, and the warriors watched in awe as it lit up in a blaze of white light.

Deep below the raging river was a thousand fish just waiting to be devoured. That was what they were there for, in fact. Tallstar had sent them out on a midday hunting patrol; something about Thornwhisker being, quote, ‘starving.’

Despite having just eaten earlier in the day, his incessant complaining had driven the whole clan mad. Ravenfur had protested far more than her daughter, Shadowstep, but the leader’s word was final. So here they were, out hunting during what should’ve been the most peaceful part of the day.

Shadowstep slowly crept into the water, sticking beneath the shadow of an overhanging boulder. Her dark pelt blended in perfectly as she settled herself into a hunting stance. They would never see her coming.

In less than five minutes she had collected two different fish, their bodies flapping in terror on the shore as they fought for air. Eventually they fell limp and between her and her mother, there were three fish total.

“Better than nothing,” Shadowstep meowed, noticing the vexed expression on Ravenfur’s face.

The older warrior scoffed in disbelief, eyeing the pile as though it had personally wronged her. “I guess. You already know that two of these are going to that obnoxious, loud, pompous little-”

“Pompous little shit?”

The two black she-cats jerked their heads in the direction of the voice, meeting the gaze of the deputy as he bounded through the trees and onto the pebbly shore. If Ravenfur’s mood was already sour, it was about to get a lot worse.

“No, I was going to say pompous little fuck. And you should know all about that,” Ravenfur snapped. It was like she couldn’t help herself from exploding. Moons of built up resentment and unresolved fights had created a wall between the two clanmates, and no matter how hard he tried to tear it down, she always built it back up.

Meanwhile, Shadowstep watched awkwardly from the sidelines as her parents stared furiously at one another. She hated everything about this. Conflict went against every fiber of her being, so watching the two cats she loved most claw eachother’s ears off? It broke her heart more and more every day. Luckily, her father dismissed her before things got worse.

“Shadow, go back to camp.”

“Yes, Stonepelt,” she meowed shyly, scooping a fish up in her mouth before bounding off into the trees.

“Do you have to do that in front of her?” he growled the second his daughter was out of earshot.

“Why do _I_ have to do that? I wouldn’t have had to do anything if it weren’t for you _pushing_ your way into our lives," Ravenfur hissed, tail lashing.

“How dare a father want a relationship with his family,” he retorted, flames flickering boldly in the depths of his yellow gaze. He watched as she rolled her eyes, turning her back on him to walk further down the shore. It took all he had to not lose his temper and storm back to camp with the rest of the fresh kill. But he loved her too much to give up. Not again.

His lean muscles flexed smoothly beneath his fur as he rushed after her, slowing to a stop at her flank. “Raven, please just-”

“There is no more ‘Raven’,” she cut him off suddenly, making no efforts to hide her anger. “There is no more _us_ . Just leave me and Shadow alone. You made your choice, _deputy_. And I’ve made mine. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more fish to catch.”

His old mate’s voice held such venom that he thought her words alone would kill him. They seeped into his veins like poison, quickly making their way to his chest until every heartbeat left him in agony. There was no greater pain than watching someone you love grow to hate you.

Without even realizing it his paws had stopped moving, leaving him standing alone in the silence. He watched as her black form grew smaller and smaller in the distance, and with every step she took away from him, his spirit faded just a little bit more. But even now, with nothing but a sea of anger and betrayal between them, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in the entire world.

~

“Three fish? Why, back in my day we’d bring back a dozen! Hell, _two_ dozen! You kids have no work ethic, I tell ya. Three fish. Hmph.”

Thornwhisker’s angry voice boomed around the entire camp, scaring the birds in the trees until there were none left.

Stonepelt stared down at the plump elder, showing nothing but annoyance on his face. He was never grateful for anything. The clan had gone out of their way to make sure he was comfortable, and all they got in return was complaints. But, what else was new?

“You can barely finish one, quit your griping,” Paleface hissed at her whiny clanmate from the back of the elders den. The deputy flashed her a look of deep gratitude.

Thornwhisker on the other hand was far less pleased by her words. His neck was too short for him to turn and look at her, so he did a full body spin, eye twitching in rage as he met her gaze. “Oy! Who do ya’ think yer’ talkin’ to? I could eat 10 fish in a row if I wanted to.”

“You _look_ like you could eat 10 fish in a row if you wanted to, that’s for sure. But you can’t. So say thank you and shut up,” she snapped.

The disbelief on the tom’s face was almost comical. If Stonepelt stayed around any longer he would have his ears clawed off for laughing, so instead he made his way over to the nursery to check on the queens.

“Oy, I’ve had quite enough! Let’s do this. Stand up and fight me, coward! Unless yer afraid?” he declared, bouncing sporadically in the air as though his small body could not contain his emotions. He hobbled towards her threateningly, leaves catching in his fur along the way. His legs were so short that it looked as though he were drifting with nothing to support him. A ghost cat, if you would. But halfway through his charge towards his clanmate, he grunted in pain, nearly falling onto his side as a back muscle gave out.

Paleface glared at him blankly the entire time, unphased by his antics. This was a common occurrence. Hell, half of their days were spent with him trying to fight her. For someone so old he sure did have spirit.

“Will you sit down now?” the she-cat snapped. She watched as he reluctantly limped back to the fish, grumbling incoherent sentences along the way. He scooped a small bass up in his mouth and carried it over to his nest, flopping ungracefully onto his rear. She could tell he was hesitating to eat as he glared coldly at the den wall. His pride knew no bounds.

“Oh please.” Paleface’s body trembled ever so slightly as she pulled herself into a stand, body stiff as she made her way over to his side. She took a seat beside him and began to rasp her tongue along the back of his neck, helping to groom some of his matted fur.

The tom was rendered speechless as she tended to him, but it seemed to work as the anger slowly faded from his eyes. He huffed stubbornly, eye still twitching ever so slightly as though he was unsure of what to do next.

Eventually he pawed his meal closer to him, mouth watering as he stared down at it.

“I would’ve beat ya’,” he grumbled under his breath, almost unable to help himself before he sunk his teeth into the fish.

Paleface rolled her eyes far back into her head at his words. “Oh, just shut up and eat,” she growled between aggressive licks. The last sound she heard from him was an indignant huff before he quieted down and continued working on his meal.

Despite the harsh words shared between them, the two old friends had nothing but love for one another as they sat peacefully in the silence of the den.

~

While the elders of Riverclan shared pelts in the safety of their den, evil had taken root just outside not moments before.

Sandstone did her best to calm down her distraught clanmate, rushing frantically around the den in search of the proper herbs. Luckily she had had just enough cobwebs to cover the wound and slow the bleeding. But that wouldn’t be enough.

The medicine cat rushed up the tunnel that led down into her hollow, calling Sunstorm’s name until the warrior appeared.

“I need you to stand guard, don’t let anyone come in,” she ordered, watching as her orange and white clanmate dipped her head respectfully. She’d chosen Sunstorm specifically because she knew how to mind her business. If she happened to overhear any conversation within the den, Sandstone knew she could trust her not to tell anyone else. One of the many things she appreciated about the she-cat.

On her way back down the tunnel she could hear Dawnspirit’s shallow breathing, conjoined with the occasional pained whimper. She quickly scooped some poppy seeds onto a leaf and carried it over the distressed warrior.

“Eat these,” she meowed gently, nudging them towards her mouth. The tabby lapped them up slowly, hardly able to move her head. As curious as Sandstone was, now wasn’t the time to ask questions.

Lastly she mixed some thyme and juniper berries together, mashing them into a wet bolus that would be easy to swallow. She rolled the medicine into Dawnspirit’s mouth while meowing, “These will help with nerves and bellyache. You’re safe here; nobody will hurt you. Sleep.”

The medicine cat stood beside her patient calmly, studying the rise and fall of her chest to make sure that she was comfortable. She lifted a paw and placed it gently on Dawnspirit’s fur. No fever. The only symptoms so far seemed to be claw marks and intense panic.

Sandstone had been counting her herbs trying to figure out which ones she needed more of when her clanmate had practically fallen down the tunnel into her den. Even in the dim light, she had seen the fear blazing in the warriors wide eyes. Like she’d seen hell itself. The sandy she-cat had done everything she could to treat her with the limited information she had. Now it was just a waiting game.

The hours passed by slowly as Dawnspirit slept, and Sandstone refused to leave her side. She didn’t know what happened, but what she did know was that it wouldn’t happen again any time soon. Not on her watch.

Eventually she saw the faint flicker of her clanmate’s eyelids as she came to. She rushed over, careful not to startle her. “It’s me, Sandstone. You’re in the medicine den right now. It’s just us.” It was important to not leave any room for distress. Then they would be back to square one.

Dawnspirit slowly came to her senses, and to the medicine cat’s shock, she was eerily calm. She rose to an upright position and stared blankly into the darkness of the den. Her gaze was unfocused, and she looked lost in thought.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened,” Sandstone meowed, keeping her voice light, and gentle. “But I’m here if you want to talk. You can trust me.” The last thing she wanted was for the warrior to feel pressured. That would get them nowhere. For now she would simply give her a safe space to work through her emotions.

Padding over to her herbs, she began to sniff through them as she’d been doing earlier that day. “How’s your stomach? Are you in any pain?”

“No,” Dawnspirit meowed numbly.

The sandy she-cat glanced at her briefly out of the corner of her eye, but said nothing more. There was no way that the warrior wasn’t in pain. But there was also no point in saying that out loud and pushing the issue. So instead, she silently gathered some goldenrod and oak leaves, mashing them up and setting them beside the she-cat. “May I apply this to your wounds?”

She took note of the way her breathing picked up at the request, as though the thought of being touched scared her. Which was to be expected after some type of attack. But who would want to attack her, and why?

After a moment, to her relief, Dawnspirit nodded.

She quickly lifted the cobwebs and applied the poultice before taking a step back. She almost explained that the medicine was to stop pain and any potential infection, but her clanmate was smart. It didn’t need to be said.

As she turned around to head back over to her herbs, her clanmate’s words suddenly pierced the air like lightning. The silence that followed was deafening. It felt as though the world had grinded to a complete halt, and Sandstone felt every inch of her soul shatter into a million pieces.

“I was raped.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take a look at the lives of those in Elderclan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

Everything was so peaceful.

A canopy of light enveloped the forest in its soothing embrace, turning everything within its grasp into a picture of beauty. Frozen in time, frozen in space. An ocean of silver untainted by the spoils of the outside world. It was magnificent.

The stark white deputy lay atop a moss covered stone, a beautiful array of stars hanging in the sky above him. Their brilliance paled in comparison to his pelt and his deep blue eyes shone with the light of the moon.

Hours had faded by as his apprentice roared on, her speech capturing the attention of even the dullest of animals. Out of everything the forest held within its depths, from deer’s made of starlight to flowers painted by the sun, she was one of the most fascinating things to him. The way she spoke her mind without shame to those who would listen. The way she questioned the world around her instead of cowering in acceptance to its demands. The way she held her head high in the face of pure power, and greatness. She was a sight to behold.

“We have so much to offer. We could change the entire world. But we sit here, hiding, day after day beneath this so-called veil. And for _what_ ? To _protect_ ourselves?” she scoffed, and if he didn’t know any better, he detected hints of disgust in her voice. “We are the true cowards. Elderclan is _weak_ . What is the point of infinite wisdom if it isn’t being used. There are clans out there who need us. If we are truly as _great_ , and _strong_ , and _superior_ as he says we are; then what have we to fear?”

She paced back and forth on the ground in front of him, muscles tense from the passion which ignited her limbs. The floor was bathed in the moon’s light, and as she walked on its silver rays, it honored the power in her soul.

“Graywillow told me a tale of a mother and her kits who came to us for help. She sat outside the veil, wailing, begging for aid. She prayed to Starclan day and night, prayed to us day and night, with everything she had in her. Finally we answered her call. And after all that time of waiting, Elkstar would only accept her children. They left her behind to die, alone. He could have saved her. Why didn’t he? _Why_?”

The beautiful tortoiseshell continued on her rampage, sides nearly heaving from the strain of her words. She spoke them with such meaning and passion.

As he continued to watch her, pride bloomed in his chest, warming his body against the cool night air. When he looked at her, he saw a leader. He wondered if, perhaps someday, that is what she would be.

“Willowpaw,” he spoke, deep voice rumbling with the authority of thunder. Everything about him resonated leadership, and security. He carried an indescribable warmth with him.

“Take a deep breath. You have all the time in the world.”

He watched calmly as she collected herself, settling herself at the base of the stone before staring up at him. Her eyes were full of wonder as she looked at him. The bond between mentor and apprentice was one of the purest of its kind; a sacred connection blessed by leader and Starclan alike.

The deputy smiled warmly, an indescribable kindness in his gaze as a gentle chuckle rumbled in his chest.

“Your passion is admirable. It will serve you well in life, if you learn to harness it. Never forget; wise words will never be heard if they are said in anger. Take your message and rebirth it in the form of hope. Do not feel discouraged at how things are, but rejoice in what they could become, with your help,” he meowed down to her, hoping she accepted his council. All he wanted was the best for her. It was a fine line between teaching her their ways, while encouraging her to form her own path. But he knew that whichever destiny the universe had in store for her was bound to be magnificent.

“Kindness is a virtue. I am honored to see it in my apprentice. But all things, even the good things, will bring you nothing but misfortune if not balanced. On one end, you must always be good, and selfless. But on the other, you must be smart, and realistic. Someone who sees through solely kind eyes will only ever be blind, led astray by the greedy and manipulative. But someone who sees through both kind, and astute eyes? They will see beyond the idea of kindness and witness the ramifications that may come of it.”

The beautiful she-cat listened to him eagerly, every sense in her body ignited by the weight of his words. She blinked slowly, leaning back to process their meaning. One of the many things he had taught her was that nothing is ever what it seems. Everything worth knowing is complex, and elaborate. But once you truly understand, all things that follow are simple. As she listens to him now, she hopes that one day, she can see the world as easily as he does.

Time passes by as she comes to understand him, her eyes roaring with the flames of knowledge.

“Speak again now. Like a true leader,” he meowed, dipping his head to her as he awaited her new speech.

No fear befell her; her head was held high as it always was, entire soul glowing bravely beneath the moon’s light.

“We are a clan of greatness. Our comprehension of the world around us extends beyond time, and space. But we are stagnant. Greatness itself should never have borders. There is a life outside of The Realm that can be made beautiful, made anew in the eyes of Starclan. True strength and true power comes from the ability to choose who you bless. And any true leader will rejoice in the blessings he can bring to others. I can only imagine how the clans would speak of Elderclan. The clan that could unite us all and join the forests under one moon. That is a world I dream of living in. A world where we all come together as one and create a clan of true, pure hearts, fighting against any darkness that may threaten to snuff us out.”

A grin spread across the white deputy’s face as she spoke, and for once in his life, he was chilled to the core by another cat’s words. He could only imagine what she would become in due time.

Slowly rising to a stand, the kind tom leapt onto the forest floor just beside her, a beacon of grace and wisdom. “That was much, much better,” he meowed proudly. “I hope to someday live in such a world as the one you have envisioned.”

The she-cat returned the warmth in his gaze as she dipped her head, honored to have received his wisdom. She remembered the day when Elkstar appointed her to him. Every cat had gasped in awe as his words rang in the air, and the stars had even seemed to dance in approval of his decision. It was the truest privilege to be mentored by a leader of the clan. And it was a privilege she would never take for granted.

“Thank you, Lightgaze,” she meowed respectfully. “And thank you for letting me speak my mind.”

“Always,” he rumbled, blinking at her fondly before turning to stare in the direction camp. His face creased in a worry that she had never seen before. “Mmm.. We must return, I have matters to attend to. Come now.”

Without asking questions, the apprentice took off after her mentor, entire body buzzing with the thrill of new found wisdom.

~

“That is impossible.”

Lightgaze’s words boomed throughout the crisp night air, heard only by those deemed worthy in the eyes of Starclan. The leadership of Elderclan stood in a circle outside of the medicine den, all sharing a similar expression of worry, and confusion.

“How can this be?” he continued, fur beginning to bristle from anger.

“I know as much as you,” Silvertongue meowed, meeting his irate gaze with her calm one. “The dreams they send me are near impossible to translate into reality. My abilities and understanding only go so far. But I have done my best, I assure you.”

She interpreted the deputy’s irritation as annoyance at her own shortcomings. Her insecurities hindered her from knowing better. His hostility was rarely directed at another cat, but rather towards events or foreboding news.

While he stared at the flattened tree branch beneath their paws, Elkstar had turned to walk towards the ledge, eyes fixed on the moon. It was as though he was searching for answers in its depths.

His head was held high, expression steady and unwavering as he felt the energy of the world around him. For all the beauty in The Realm, there was a dark presence, darker than even the foulest cat of Rootclan. It disturbed the Elderclan leader to his very core.

“She’s right,” he meowed, his tone effortlessly authoritative. “He’s coming.”

“Who is ‘he’?” Lightgaze demanded to know.

“I cannot tell you.”

The medicine cat watched as the deputy’s face contorted into both annoyance and frustration. It reminded her of her own emotions, shortly after she had woken up from the dream.

“Do not fret,” the leader continued, knowing the expression that befell his deputy without even turning around. “I will always tell you what you need to know. For now, we must prepare.”

“How?” the white tom demanded yet again. His tail had begun to lash as he walked to stand behind Elkstar. “Silvertongue dreams of endless death, and you speak of knowing the source, while I am told to stand by and follow orders? How must I prepare to fight against an enemy I do not know?”

“Enough.”

The leader’s word was final; a storm brewing just over his deputy’s head, ready to strike if he stepped out of line. When he demanded silence, silence is what he would get.

Silvertongue watched as the white tom’s jaw tightened from rage, and she could practically taste the frustration rolling off of his pelt in waves. But he dipped his head respectfully, taking a step back from the ledge to join her again outside of the medicine den.

They stood there watching Elkstar in what seemed to be silence, but he seemed to be having a conversation of his own. The way his eyes fluttered beneath closed lids, his mouth parted ever so slightly, twitching subtly as he spoke to those only he could hear.

She was so caught up in watching the leader that she hardly noticed Lightgaze beginning to walk away. Once she saw him a small gasp escaped her and she raced after him, stopping him dead in his tracks.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she accused, eyes narrowed.

“Away from here,” he replied to her with an icy calmness. “If he will not answer me then perhaps The Mother will.”

“You need to stay here, and wait. He said he has a plan to prepare for whatever is coming. Tell me, when in all his years has he failed us?”

Lightgaze eyed her irritably as she spoke, seeming to look for a fight but failing to find one. He was silent for a moment as he processed her words. But as the moments passed along with his thoughts, he met her gaze once more, still saying nothing. That had been an answer in itself.

Her face soured into an enraged scowl as she shouldered her way past him towards the medicine den.

“You know I am right, Silvertongue,” she heard him meow from behind her. But she did not care. Elkstar was their chosen leader, he had led them fearlessly for centuries; there was no decision he could make that would cause her to turn her back on him. No matter what Lightgaze seemed to think.

She rounded the corner into her den, immediately rushing to the safety of her nest that opened her mind and allowed her to converse with Starclan. Crystals and gems lined its sides, and she said a quick prayer in their presence, hoping that she would receive the gift of sight once more. She quickly chewed up some bramble twigs and poppy seeds to aid her in falling asleep. With the amount she consumed, she hoped to be asleep for at least a day. It was the one thing she could do to help her clan. And she would stop at nothing to get her answers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not all cats born within the clans felt at home; some left. Some built a life for themselves beyond the constraining borders of clan life. But they will never forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

The night was hot with the rich air of summer, and the sound of crickets was the only noise to be heard amidst the silence of that evening.

Underneath the full moon's glow, Kali was curled up in a fresh bed of hay, her closest friend sleeping peacefully beside her. Her friend’s short tortoiseshell fur rarely kept her warm, but it was the season of sunlight, and she had been doing just fine. Besides, even in the harshest of winters, Kali knew that her vicious companion's pride would never allow her to share pelts with another. She would never show weakness. Kali on the other hand had a thicker coat, and the heat around had made for a long and uncomfortable night. Despite the safety that the four barn walls provided, the she-cat had felt unease as the night grew darker. She had tried to push down the memories of clan life, but no matter how hard she tried, flashes of The Gatherings haunted her mind.

Ever since she had left she had vowed to be true to herself and her beliefs, no matter what happened. But life as a stray was hard. Depending on where you traveled, the prey could be scarce and danger lurked around every corner. Every morning she thanked the sky that she had found Jewel.

The tortoiseshell's nature was much like her own, and the two females together made for vicious adversaries. She had taught Jewel how to hunt and fight, and Jewel had taught her how to survive outside of the clan borders. It was like destiny.

Many moons later they were still by one another's side, facing each day one step at a time. And as every single one of those days went by, Kali found her spirit hardening more and more, until she was a champion of resilience. She understood that what happened, happened, and refused to waste a single moment of her short life worrying about the future. What she truly struggled with was worrying about the past.

She could hear his voice. She remembered the way his fur turned gold beneath the sunlight. She remembered how genuine he was. He never lied, never feigned his existence. But he had been too small. Too weak. It was the same honesty that she'd fallen in love with that had gotten him banished. The look of fear on his face still clawed through her heart like an eagle's talons, and every night she felt his pain all over again. _I'm so sorry. I should've gone with you. I'm so sorry Smallpaw._

They had been so young; she remembered being so close to her warrior ceremony that she could taste it. She had been a coward. But what she hated most was how salient the memory was to this day. She was a fully grown cat who had seen things the clans couldn’t dream of, and yet here she was, haunted by past failures and childish heartbreaks.

After a million attempts at convincing herself she didn’t care and completely failing, she embraced her shame. She let his fur brush against hers in her dreams, and allowed his scent to dance on her tongue as she trekked through every forest. Somehow, clinging to the past made handling the loss a little easier. Tonight, though, she found her dreams taking a different direction.

Her legs jerked out sporadically as her mouth gaped open in a silent wail, her eyes witnessing carnage in its truest form. A handsome tom stood atop a mound of lifeless, dismembered bodies, blood pooling on the forest floor like rain after a storm. She could hear the wails of kittens taken from their mothers, and she tasted the flesh of every cat who defied him.

Her heart pounded in her chest at the sight before her, and true horror flared in her gaze. She had never seen such evil. It emanated from the grey tom so strongly that she felt it vibrating her bones, misery freezing her in place. Something was wrong. Something was so terribly wrong.

After the moment of initial fear faded away, she made out the looming form of another, who seemed to be guarding the sadistic cat. She had never seen such a large tom. His paws alone sent a chill down her spine as she envisioned them colliding with her head. But what shook her very core was the lifeless expression on his face.

The handsome tom, the root of all the destruction before her, seemed proud. But his defender seemed cold, and unphased. A distant memory stirred inside of her, but before she had properly grasped it, she threw herself awake, flying to her feet as alarm flooded her. “Deadheart,” she gasped, shaking from ears to tail tip.

The commotion had stirred the tortoiseshell from her sleep, and she craned her neck around, lip curled up in a snarl. “What are you going on about?” Jewel snapped, showing little to no concern for her friend’s blatant terror. “Your obnoxious yammering woke me up from a perfectly good sleep. I couldn’t care less about your bad dream, just stop talking!”

Kali wasn’t offended by her friend’s sharp tongue; in fact she’d grown to respect it. It was comforting, always knowing what was on someone’s mind. She had tried to pick up the habit herself.

“Jewels, you don’t understand,” she snarled, the bristling fur on her shoulders finally lying flat. The nightmare had been so short and so brief, yet she felt as though she’d been asleep for a lifetime. “He’s from the clans. He’s dangerous,” she hissed, having done her best after all this time to smother his memory. But clearly, she had failed.

They had been young, and impulsive. Curious apprentices wandering the fields, looking for adventure whilst completely unaware of what lay ahead of them. Her friends had gone off in one direction while she’d continued straight. Before she’d known it she was standing before that vile, nauseating forest. And there he’d emerged from the shadows. Paws larger than the size of her head, with a murderous glint in his eyes.

His massive form had loomed over her, and she remembered the feeling of the ground on her underbelly as she’d pressed herself further and further into it. But he’d let her go. He’d watched as she bolted in the other direction, his expression completely unchanging.

“Who are you?” she’d called back to him once she stood by the safety of the field again. Time ticked by as she’d awaited his response, and just when she’d thought she’d never get one, he had replied;

“Deadheart.”

She remembered how her young mind had perceived him, and despite all of her fire, something about his gaze had terrified her. She evaded his cruelty once, but something told her that many others had not had the same luck as her.

But now, what terrified her even more was the cat he now seemed to be guarding in her dream. The cat who rejoiced in pain, and suffering. A champion of evil. What force was powerful enough to seduce even Deadheart?

Her mind was working fast, but her friend couldn’t have cared less, already having curled back up to continue her slumber. Letting out a faint hiss of annoyance, she calmly turned around, squeezing her way out of the barn and into the warm night.

She peered up at the stars, recalling the tales of Starclan and its prophecies. She hated the clans and all that they stood for; _especially_ Starclan. She knew that if Starclan were desperate enough to reach out to her, an old forgotten rogue, then the clans were truly in jeopardy.

_But the thing is, I don’t care._

The stunning calico glared coolly up at the full moon, her yellow eyes haunted by memories of cruelty and betrayal. “Fight your own battles,” she meowed, her tone icily calm. “Your precious clans deserve whatever is coming.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened when Littlepaw left the shadows and stepped into the light to befriend the cats of Oakclan? How did the Rootclan deputy handle his betrayal?  
> Find out in this chapter...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

It hadn’t taken long for them to retreat.

The impact of fear on the psyche was something that Rootclan had studied religiously; even in the early stages of the clan when there were no wanderers to chase away.

Ever since the forest had gone dark, endless days and nights were spent concocting methods of torment. If someone dared to step foot into the mist, their last moments would be spent wailing in terror, and pain.

But lucky for the Oakclan cats, they had kept their distance this time.

Blazingfrost kept her pale eyes locked on the group until they took notice of her; after that, the rest was up to them. Their minds would reel with questions as panic would set in, making them act foolishly, and irrationally. The only thing pushing them away from the forest would be themselves.

“Er, Littlepaw, I think it’s time for us to say goodbye, hm? Perhaps we can see you later. But I think your mentor is worried about you.”

The voice came from the orange tom, and Blazingfrost could practically taste his fear scent. It was rancid. And yet no part of her was surprised. She didn’t care for the stories of Oakclan’s bravery and courage. All she had ever seen from them was impulsive, thoughtless decisions that left them injured or killed. It wasn’t bravery. It was arrogance.

“Yeah... You’re probably right…” she heard her apprentice reply, concern flickering across his face. He seemed uncomfortable.

_As he should be._

“Well, it was so great meeting you! I’ll see you guys later!” he continued, rubbing affectionately against the warriors legs.

Her pelt burned with heat as though it had caught fire. The sight of him sharing pelts with a cat from another clan - a _tom_ , at that - disgusted her. Did he have no sense of pride, or dignity? Had her earlier words been lost on him entirely?

Just when she thought the moment couldn’t get any worse, a voice rose up from the darkness.

“What is he _doing_?”

The deputy whipped around to see Shadowfur and her apprentice, Heatherpaw, step out of the shadows and into the pale light of the moon. They must’ve been the ones she’d heard running through the shadows earlier.

“Why aren’t you stopping him?” the warrior snapped, disbelief in her voice. But despite her irritation, she made no moves towards the Oakclan cats. Instead she simply watched in shock, seemingly waiting for the deputy's explanation.

Before she even had a chance to reply, Heatherpaw exploded in anger and confusion.

“What does he think he’s doing?!” Her tail began to lash aggressively as she unsheathed her claws. If Blazingfrost didn’t know any better, it looked like she was about to charge. “Fucking toms! Can you believe this? How dare he disgrace the clan like this. I say we shred him to pieces.”

“Both of you shut up,” the deputy finally snarled. Lean muscles rippled beneath her sleek pelt as she rose to a stand, staring down at them with anger flickering in her eyes. She was twice as large as the apprentice, and while Shadowfur was decent in size, she wouldn’t stand a chance against the red she-cat. 

“If either of you speaks a word of this to Spiderstar, I will personally introduce you to Starclan,” she continued, meaning every cold word that came out of her mouth. Her frustration knew no bounds. First, her apprentice decided to toss aside all logic and make friends with the sworn enemies of his clan. Then, two of her clanmates decided to appear out of thin air, making no attempts to hide themselves while questioning her authority. There was nothing she hated more than disrespect, yet the day had been full of it. All she wanted to do was drag her claws across their faces.

Rootclan prided itself on taking souls and hardening them into the strongest version of themselves. The version that was cruel, and apathetic. But she wondered, at what point did they allow themselves to completely turn to stone? At what point would _she_ allow herself to be consumed by the darkness entirely?

She knew that for all of Littlepaw’s ignorance and naivety, he was just a child; pure in heart and mind. And no matter how desperately she wanted to claw him to pieces, it wasn’t the right thing to do.

Right as she began to order them to leave, Shadowfur’s voice filled the air with words she never thought she’d hear.

“I agree; Spiderstar can never find out. This has to stay between us. Do you understand?” the warrior meowed pointedly, fixing her attention on her apprentice at the end. The firm expression on her face implied that there was no room for discussion. Her word was final.

Heatherpaw’s jaw hit the floor at the speed of lightning, eyes wide in sheer horror. Or perhaps it was disgust. Blazingfrost could hardly keep track of the emotions the younger cat seemed to be experiencing.

“Are you _kidding_ me? You can’t possibly be serious.” The apprentice’s body trembled as though she could hardly contain her rage.

“We’re as serious as it gets,” Shadowfur snapped, and the deputy felt her fur prickle at the way she said ‘we.’

“It doesn’t matter if you agree or not, you’ll do as I say,” the black she-cat continued, noticing her apprentice beginning to speak again and swiftly cutting her off. “Is that understood?”

The whole time Shadowfur spoke, Heatherpaw had been backing up further and further away from them, unable to grasp what was happening. It seemed as though her mind couldn’t accept the words, and neither could her body. The further she was away from the situation, the less real it would become.

Blazingfrost’s cold gaze flickered back and forth between her clanmates as she watched the scene unfold. Eventually she let her focus settle on Shadowfur, eyes narrowing to slits.

To an outsider, the deputy would appear hostile; ready to lunge and devour the black she-cat at any moment. But in reality, nothing but curiosity and suspicion ran through her mind. And the longer she watched her, she thought, perhaps even a hint of admiration as well.

Few cats in Rootclan were able to keep their aggression in line. Especially towards outsiders. They had nothing but pure hatred and a desire to snuff out all cats whose blood didn’t come from the shadows. But _she_ was different. She was strong, and non judgmental. The kind of cat that Blazingfrost hoped would one day help her lead the clan.

“Hi Shadowfur! Hi Heatherpaw! It’s so nice to see you guys. I’ve had the best day _ever_! You’re never gonna believe what happened.”

Littlepaw’s voice came out of nowhere, immediately drawing their attention like a hawk to a mouse. For all the drama he’d caused, he was completely oblivious, a grin plastered on his small face with a sparkle in his eyes that not even they had seen before. He was pure sunshine and joy.

“Oh, I know _exactly_ what happened.”

And just like that, his light began to fade away again.

His eyes went wide at Blazingfrost’s infuriated words, cowering against the forest floor as she loomed over him. Her teeth glinted white against the moon as she curled her lip in a furious snarl.

The deputy felt the earth push between her paws like mud as she sunk her claws deeper and deeper into the ground. Deep down, a part of her wished it was the fur on his neck beneath her. But her soul was not evil enough to harm a child. She’d rather die first.

“What were you _thinking_? Do you understand what would’ve happened if any other cat had seen you do that? You and your little friends would be crow food.” Her voice was full of venom as rage rolled off her pelt in waves. The fury that roared inside of her was tangible. Every word was spit out like poison, and even Shadowfur felt a flicker of sympathy for the kit. But despite this, she and her apprentice watched in silence as the deputy spoke to the tom.

“I’m- I’m sorry, I just thought-” he began to mewl.

“You just thought _what_ ? You thought nothing. I take you to the border, I tell you how to survive, and this is what you make of it? Not only did you risk your own life, but you risked their lives as well. I saw that she-cat’s face. The forest marked her. You did that. Because you think with your _weak heart_ instead of your fucking _mind_.”

The small cat flattened himself into the ground, and for once in his life, he wanted to disappear entirely. He prayed that the earth would swallow him whole so that he never had to breathe again. This place was dreadful, and even if his heart was still beating, no part of him would ever be alive.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears pooling in his eyes as he trembled beneath the weight of her words. But no sympathy came to him. She was many things, but forgiving was not one of them.

“Get out of my sight,” the deputy snarled in response, unable to look at him any longer. It was both too painful, and too pathetic.

She watched as he bolted away from them, throwing himself in the direction of the camp as though death itself were hot on his heels.

Blazingfrost could hardly make time to breathe as frustration consumed her. Her shoulders were tight as she paced the floor mindlessly, every inch of her pelt bristling.

“Heatherpaw, follow Littlepaw back to camp. And don’t lay a single claw on him,” Shadowfur ordered, praying to Starclan that her apprentice had one ounce of compassion in her soul.

The black warrior watched as Heatherpaw bolted off after the kit, seeming to desperately need a physical release for her pent up emotions. Everyone was consumed by tension, and confusion. Unfortunately, they all had vastly different ways of expressing it.

Turning to face the deputy, she remained completely silent, analyzing the situation with as level of a head as possible.

She didn’t know how Littlepaw had ended up there, she didn’t know why the deputy hadn’t stopped him, but above all else, why was the deputy trying to save him? For all of her anger, and all of her rage, protecting him remained her number one priority. Why?

“What _happened_?” she meowed, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. 

“What does it look like? Are you blind? He exposed himself to those _cowards_.”

The deputy's sharp words brought a scowl to her face.

“And from what I saw, it looks like you let him,” Shadowfur retorted angrily. She was used to the hostility and moodiness of her clanmates, but she knew Blazingfrost. The deputy’s rage stemmed from fear over Littlepaw’s fate. She could see into the red she-cat’s heart; past the unfriendliness, past the sharp tongue, past the _rage_. In her core, the deputy did not belong in this life. And as Shadowfur watched her clanmate pace with a million emotions blazing in her blue eyes, she understood. Because she didn’t belong here either.

“Think whatever you want,” Blazingfrost scoffed, lip curled into a sneer. “There’s nothing to be done now anyways. All we can do is keep our mouth’s shut and pretend it never fucking happened.”

“I won’t say anything,” Shadowfur reminded her. “I’ll keep an eye on Heatherpaw and make sure she doesn’t either. For all of her passion and stubbornness, she has a good heart. I know she’ll do the right thing.”

“There’s no point in rambling about it any longer.” The deputy nearly cut her off at the end of her sentence, not concerned with the purity of Heatherpaw’s soul. Littlepaw had made his decision; now it was time for everyone else to make theirs. Standing here discussing hopes and best case scenarios was a waste. “Come with me,” she continued. “If Spiderstar asks, we met with our apprentices in the forest. I ordered them to go back to camp while you and I went hunting.”

“Spiderstar will ask why we didn’t take them hunting with us-”

“Let me handle the rest,” Blazingfrost cut her off sharply, voice commanding and authoritative. 

A moment passed by where no words were shared between them. Shadowfur felt as though her pelt were on fire from the sheer force of the deputy’s gaze. It held her there in place, forbidding her from moving, or breathing. In that moment, she belonged to her. And just like that, it was over.

“Come,” Blazingfrost ordered, turning tail before racing off into the trees.

After briefly hesitating the black warrior followed, clearing her mind and focusing on the hunt as though nothing had ever happened.

~

It hadn’t taken long for the deputy and warrior to catch their prey. The shadow’s helpful whispers revealed every creature nearby, guiding them closer and closer until it was time to go in for the kill. Now they were heading back, paws thundering against the ground yet making no noise as they phased through the darkness.

At last they returned to camp, sides heaving ever so slightly. Blazingfrost wasted no time in taking a crow to Blackwidow. Right as she dropped it at her feet, Shadowfur dropped her own prey in front of her sister, Stormheart.

“I didn’t know you went hunting, I thought-”

“Shh,” Blazingfrost heard Shadowfur hiss. She could see the siblings in the corner of her eye, glaring at one another. If they continued the argument then people would start to notice.

“Somebody is keeping secrets.”

Blackwidow’s voice quickly brought the deputy’s attention off of her clanmates and onto her.

Despite the alarm that spread through the deputy’s chest, she met the old cat’s gaze steadily, and without hesitation. “Nobody is keeping secrets, and if they were, it’s none of your business,” she meowed coldly.

A chuckle rumbled in the black she-cats throat as though she were amused by her words.

“Is something funny?” Blazingfrost snapped.

“Oh yes, something is always funny. Would like to know what I found funny today?”

“No.” The word was effortlessly blunt, and the deputy felt a weird satisfaction in saying it. Entertaining this conversation any longer would yet again draw unwanted attention. The only thing that mattered was remaining calm, and keeping Littlepaw safe.

As she turned to walk away, the elder’s words pierced through her consciousness, sending sharp chills rippling along her spine.

_I wonder what Spiderstar would do to them if she found out._

The deputy stopped in her tracks, feeling the blood in her veins turn to ice. Every inch of her felt the chill of the crisp night air. It nipped at her skin like a playful kit, digging tiny, frostbitten claws into her skin. But there was nothing to be done.

Blazingfrost sauntered onwards as though nothing had happened, fear frozen like a rock in her chest as she pushed away the images of Spiderstar’s wrath. As long as her heart was still beating, as long as blood flowed through her veins, no harm would come to her clanmates. And if it did, it would happen over her dead fucking body.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The forest truly does have eyes. Who will they share their wisdom with? How many secrets do they know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.  
> The cat's of Rootclan are highly in tune with their surroundings, especially the leader (Spiderstar) and The Teller (Black Widow, similar to a medicine cat). The shadows will talk to the cats of Rootclan very selectively.  
> Rootclan has “guards” that serve the she-cats of the clan. All of the guards are toms.  
> Thistleheart is Lily, from the prologue.  
> Heatherpaw is Thistleheart's daughter. Her father is the Thistleheart's mate (the one she was running from in the prologue).

“Come here, stop fidgeting!”

“Mom, I’m  _ fine _ !”

“You’re fine once I say you are. Now sit.”

Thistleheart held Heatherpaw in place with her paw as she rasped her tongue repeatedly along her pelt, grooming her. It seemed as though her daughter was just made an apprentice yesterday. Some nights, she swore she still felt her nuzzling into the warmth of her underbelly, searching for safety. All she wanted was for her daughter to be strong. But the mother inside of her wanted to hold her close and never let her go.

“Okay okay, I’m done,” she finally meowed, biting down a chuckle as she watched her daughter squirm away from her grasp.

“Yuck! I can clean myself now you know,” Heatherpaw grumbled as she licked her own paw before running it along her ear.

“Are you sure about that? I think I found a few fleas in there...”

“You did not!”

The horrified look on her daughter’s face was enough to send Thistleheart into a tizzy of laughter. She rolled onto her side as Heatherpaw’s face turned into a scowl.

“I hate you,” the apprentice grumbled before sulking away to go join her mentor, Shadowfur.

“Be safe!” Thistleheart called after her, finally catching her breath. It was moments like these that she cherished. It was moments like these that made her grateful she’d survived.

The brown warrior rolled onto her back, staring up at the moon and admiring the stars before closing her eyes.

_ Everything under the clouds is flawed, but the sky itself is always beautiful. It never changes. Whenever you feel alone, just look up and know that I’m there with you. _

Even now she could hear her own mother’s words ringing in her ears. Oh, what she would give to hear her voice again.

Time passed by as the warrior rested peacefully, her chest rising and falling ever so slightly as she breathed in the cool afternoon air. Even though the moon was out, the day still came and went just as it would outside of the forest. The only thing that remained unchanging was the darkness. Forever there. Forever consuming.

She eventually pulled herself to a stand, shaking some dust from her head when Stormheart’s words graced her ears.

“I didn’t know you went hunting? I thought-”

“Shh!”

Thistleheart turned her focus to the sisters, her expression souring at what she’d overheard. Why had Shadowfur silenced her sister? What was she trying to hide?

“It was just a question. I thought you’d taken Heatherpaw out training,” Stormheart mumbled, sounding hurt.

Her interest piqued significantly at the mention of her daughter’s name. She swiftly looked around the clearing in search of her, and when she saw nothing, the fur on her neck instantly began to rise.

“Where is she?” she interrupted, releasing a long hiss while approaching her daughter’s mentor, suspicion blazing in her gaze. After everything she had been through in her life, the one thing she had learned was to trust no one, and always keep your guard up.

Thistleheart watched as the warrior turned to meet her gaze, and to her annoyance, she saw nothing but confusion in Shadowfur’s eyes.

“Where is who?” Shadowfur meowed.

“You know who! Heatherpaw!” The anxiety she felt made her voice grow louder, her claws becoming unsheathed while her tail lashed threateningly behind her. “Why isn’t she here?”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the deputy approaching with her usual confident saunter. Her posture screamed ‘I can’t be bothered.’ But Thistleheart knew she would ask anyways.

“What seems to be the problem?” the deputy growled, eyes flashing with annoyance.

Thistleheart felt her heart pounding against her chest, and for a moment it felt as though it might give out. Panic was a very real thing. She’d felt it many times in her life. But nothing would ever compare to the fear she felt whenever something happened to her daughter.

Yet despite this, it wasn’t in her nature to snitch. This would be settled between her and Shadowfur, and it would be her and Shadowfur  _ alone _ . No one else.

“Nothing,” she replied grudgingly, hardly able to keep the anger out of her voice as she stared daggers at the black she-cat.

“Good, let’s keep it that way,” Blazingfrost growled. “Shadowfur, come with me.”

“No, please. I need to talk to her about something,” Thistleheart protested. She met the deputy’s gaze insistently, wondering what she could possibly need with Shadowfur right this very moment. But to her surprise, she swore she saw a hint of panic flicker through Blazingfrost’s eyes. Did she know something about Heatherpaw?

“My my, aren’t you a chatty bunch today,” Spiderstar suddenly meowed from nearby.

Thistleheart watched as she leapt down from a tall root, landing effortlessly behind the deputy. She walked forward with the same saunter that Blazingfrost previously had, but her’s instilled fear rather than admiration.

“Spiderstar,” the brown warrior meowed quickly, kneeling out of respect. Stormheart followed suit merely seconds later, dropping to the forest floor with her head bowed. Shadowfur was the last to comply, challenging her mother’s gaze with unparalleled stubbornness. But she, too, eventually offered a small bow of respect.

Blazingfrost on the other hand remained unmoving, holding her head high with the same air of authority as the leader. Luckily for her, Spiderstar didn’t seem to mind.

Moments passed by slowly as a shared nervousness was built between the warriors. The Rootclan ruler was cruel, and unpredictable. One never knew when she was merely flexing her power, or acting on it. It was terrifying.

“What’s this I’m hearing about Heatherpaw?”

Thistleheart’s ears twitched in shock at her words. How had she known?

“Oh, don’t look so surprised. You know the shadows tell me everything,” Spiderstar cooed, leaning uncomfortably close to her face. The brown warrior held her breath as though fearful that being alive would get her in trouble. It was hard to remain grounded in the moment when her mind wanted to replay scenes from her miserable past.

The discomfort she felt now reminded her of what it had been like to be stuck with him. His hot breath was on her face all over again, his cruel words ringing endlessly in her ears until she went deaf. Any time she tried to resist, she was met with his claws in her skin.

Despite Spiderstar having saved her, she had learned very quickly that living under her rule was no true paradise. But, she’d accepted it happily. Everything was better than what it used to be. And for that, she owed Rootclan her life.

“I’m looking for my daughter. I was just asking Shadowfur if she’d seen her,” she meowed, throat straining as she held her composure. She wasn’t going to reveal the sister’s private conversation. At the end of the day, all she wanted was an answer.

“She’s not here?” Blazingfrost growled, alarm and shock filling her voice. Never before had she seen the deputy look surprised, and when she turned to look at the sisters, she saw the same confusion on Shadowfur’s face. Something was clearly going on. They both expected Heatherpaw to be in the camp specifically, and seemed concerned when they found out she wasn’t. Why?

“No, she’s not,” Thistleheart spat, forgetting that Spiderstar was right beside her for just a moment as suspicion overcame her all over again. “You’re her mentor; I know you know where she is.”

“Listen, all I know is that she’s supposed to be here,” Shadowfur replied coolly.

“Well last I saw her, she was with you. And cat’s don’t just disappear. So where the fuck is she?”

Pelts began to bristle as tensions rose, and to Thistleheart’s disdain, a crowd had begun to gather.

“Ooh what do we have here? Yes yes  **_YES_ ** !” Heartwatcher cackled, a devilish grin plastered on her face she ran in a circle around the group. Her motions were jagged and eccentric, as though bursts of electricity were shooting through her at random. “We love a good fight. Don’t be shy, Thistle. Make her tell you where your daughter is.”

As she rounded the cats a second time, she nipped playfully at the brown warriors heels. Thistleheart snarled in pain, whipping around to swat Heartwatcher across the face. But she’d already bounded away, laughing cruelly with a sadistic glint to her eyes.

In no time at all, every cat of Rootclan had begun to gather around them, their murderous cries piercing the air as they called to the forest for a battle. The drawing of Thistleheart’s blood was all it had taken to summon them. Shadows took form as they clawed their way out of the darkness, hungry for pain, and suffering.

“I’ve been  _ waiting  _ for this,” Hazelstripe growled breathlessly, haunches in the air as she leaned down closer to the ground. It was like she was ready to lunge into a fight that wasn’t even her own, just to get a taste of blood.

Brightfrost and Nightstalker stood further away, clinging to the shadows as they eagerly anticipated whatever came next. Blackstripe was the furthest away, refusing to leave the darkness. The only sign she was there was her two yellow eyes that stalked the group’s every movement. They, too, were hungry. They, too, yearned for blood.

The cat’s of Rootclan continued to gather like a herd of lioness’ who had starved for far too long. Their meal would be a fight that left someone on the brink of death. As Thistleheart watched them, she wondered if that someone would be her.

She’d met death before. It was cold, and peaceful. The very end was not filled with fear, but rather hope. You felt as though you could finally let go and be free from the suffering of the world. But she wasn’t ready yet. She wasn’t ready then, and she sure as hell wasn’t ready now.

She unsheathed her claws as her tail lashed furiously, turning to face the crowd as they chanted for blood.

“ **_FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT_ ** !”

The forest began to join in as a chorus of moans and shrieks emanated from within its depths. Overhead, the branches began to sway in the moonlight, casting erratic shadows along the floor. Energy pulsed from the center of the group sending shockwaves through the trees, and Thistleheart felt her pounding heart mimic every vibration.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Shadowfur turn her back on their clanmates as well, backing closer and closer to the heart of the circle until she stood beside her. Despite the call for a fight, Thistleheart felt that the cats around them were her enemies. Not the black warrior.

An agonized wail pierced the air and she turned to see Deadheart dragging Stormheart out of the circle. His massive claws were hooked into the skin along her spine, but no matter how much she writhed, she couldn’t set herself free.

The other guards began to appear, their expression’s lifeless and impossible to read. Their jobs were to take orders and bend to the will of the she-cats. If the she-cats wanted a fight between Thistleheart and Shadowfur, then nobody would be standing the way of that. Especially not Shadowfur’s soft sister.

Amidst all of the commotion she had forgotten about the leader and her deputy who stood at the front of the crowd, watching. Spiderstar’s expression was unreadable; Thistleheart couldn’t tell if she was proud, or disgusted. Blazingfrost on the other hand wore a brooding scowl as her cold eyes scanned the clearing.

She could see the taut muscles sitting just beneath the deputy’s fur, writhing and moaning as they begged to be put to use. The brown warrior felt grateful that the deputy seemed just as tense and uncomfortable with the situation as she was. But unfortunately she said nothing, continuing to stand by Spiderstar’s side like the loyal follower she was.

The cheers continued on, and while Thistleheart knew that hardly any time had passed, the moments seemed to drag on for forever. But as Spiderstar’s commanding voice boomed through the air, the entire clearing fell silent, as though every cat of Rootclan had their voices stripped away.

“ **_SILENCE_ ** !”

The drastic change in noise level made the quiet seem absolutely deafening, and Thistleheart feared that the sound of her beating heart could be heard by all.

Seconds ticked by as the clan waited with baited breath for her order. To fight, or not to fight.

_ All of this over a question. One single fucking question _ .

The tension built and built until Thistleheart felt she could no longer take it, and as she watched Spiderstar, she could see that the leader was relishing in it. Inflicting pain and fear was her passion, and she intended to draw it out for as long as possible.

Just as Spiderstar finally parted her mouth to speak, a voice pierced the air that she never expected to hear.

“Mom?”

Every single pair of bloodthirsty eyes whipped to face the source of the sound at the same time.

Heatherpaw was running through the camp entrance with Littlepaw hot on her heels, a horrified expression on both of their faces once they saw what was going on.

A mutual feeling of disappointment was shared amongst the clan as frustrated and enraged whines rose up from the circle.

“Heatherpaw,” Thistleheart meowed breathlessly, relief washing over her in endless waves at the sight of her beautiful daughter. All she cared about was that she was safe. What her clanmates did to her next didn’t seem to matter so much.

“NO,” Heartwatcher growled suddenly, voice rising into a chorus of furious words. “No no  **_NO_ ** ! We’ve been waiting for blood. We want blood. Spiderstar, I beg of you, please show us mercy. We hunger for it. Its been so  _ long _ . The outsiders have learned not to come here. We have nothing. Please, just a taste. Take pity on us.”

Murmurs and snarls of agreement could be heard throughout the clearing as she spoke, but to Thistleheart’s surprise, the voice that came next was a protest.

“This is too much,” Blazingfrost growled, scanning the group of cats with annoyance in her gaze. Something about the deputy’s presence made the brown warrior feel as though everything was going to be alright. When she glanced at Shadowfur, she saw the same relief resting on her face.

“Spiderstar, I implore you to bring an end to this madness. The apprentice’s were ordered by me and Shadowfur to return to camp earlier in the day. They clearly took their  _ precious  _ time,” the deputy growled pointedly, glaring at the two young cats before continuing, “But they have returned. Spilling blood by pitting us against one another is foolish. Those are the ways of toms; violence over words, an inability to control themselves. Is that what Rootclan has become?”

The deputy’s words hung in the air like a heavy fog as Spiderstar held her gaze, a bone chilling coolness to her expression. As she watched the leaders, Thistleheart couldn’t help but wonder to herself, what was Spiderstar’s order going to be before her daughter returned? Was she going to watch as she forced her subjects to shred one another to pieces? As Blazingfrost had said, was that truly what the clan had become? All this time, she had been blinded by an indescribable gratitude. If it weren’t for the clan, she’d be dead; lost forever in the darkness. But today she felt as though she could finally see. It was like she was waking up from a long, dark slumber. Had it all been a lie? Was she truly free here?

The moments ticked by as Spiderstar mulled over her deputy’s words. The two she-cats stared into each other’s eyes with such an intensity that Thistleheart swore even she could feel their gaze. They were two of the strongest cats in all of the clans; fire and ice colliding in a blaze of glory. It was a miracle that they could coexist. It was a miracle that they hadn’t destroyed one another. But despite their battle for authority, Spiderstar would always win. She held the clan beneath her paw like a mouse, bending them to her will and torturing them into submission. No matter how passionate or true Blazingfrost was, she would always lose as long as Spiderstar was alive.

After what seemed to be an eternal silence, the leader leaned closer to her deputy; so close that her hot breath could be felt on the deputy’s cheek. 

“My clan will have blood,” she snarled, a deep growl vibrating in her chest as she revealed her teeth. “And it will start with him.”

Her murderous gaze jerked to the left, falling on Littlepaw who cowered behind his denmate, attempting to hide and failing miserably.

The deputy followed Spiderstar’s line of sight and Thistleheart watched as a pained look flickered in the depths of her eyes.

“Littlepaw has decided to make friends with Oakclan, and he will pay for his sins in blood.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Ruggedstar's dream holds many shocking adventures. What might they be, perhaps?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

The moon slowly faded from view as the sun rose over the camp, embracing it in its friendly glow.

Every inch of the forest was a different shade of beauty. Amber, gold, yellow, crimson. It held the heat of a warm fire, enticing all those who laid eyes on it.

Despite the loud hustle and bustle of the clan, Birchfeather remained curled up in the safety of his nest. He was always the last one to wake up for the day. The den was a hollow of concentrated heat left behind by his clanmates from the night before. He hated leaving. Nothing was more unpleasant than the conscious decision to wake up and move.

Unfortunately for him, his brother had different plans.

“Birch, wake up. Goldenfang is asking where you’re at,” Spruceheart meowed from the entrance of the den, a commanding air to his words.

Birchfeather groaned in defiance ever so slightly, refusing to move from his spot. Just when he thought he was able to sleep in peace again, he felt the sharp jab of his brother’s paw in his side.

“Wake up,” Spruceheart hissed insistently. “I don’t have all day.”

“I didn’t know your name was Goldenfang,” Birchfeather grumbled, eyes still shut as though opening them would take too much effort. 

The last thing he heard was his brother’s irritated growl before he left the warriors den and headed back out into the clearing. But unfortunately the damage had already been done.

Spruceheart’s annoyance conjoined with the knowledge that the deputy was looking for him gnawed at the back of his mind, preventing him from falling asleep again.

_ Godamnit _ .

After a few moments of dramatic moaning and stretching he pulled himself to a stand before sauntering out after his brother. The sun hit his eyes like a rock to the face, and he winced ever so slightly.

“There you are,” he heard the deputy snap from nearby. Before she even began to speak again, he knew what was coming. She wasn’t exactly known for mincing her words.

“Enough with the laziness already, it was funny when you were a kit. But you’re a warrior now. Act like it.”

A chorus of muffled chuckles and sneers rose up from his clanmates at Goldenfang’s words, but he couldn’t care less. He knew who he was and had accepted it a long time ago. Nobody could make him feel ashamed.

As he turned to meet Spruceheart’s gaze, though, he saw nothing but embarrassment and anger. His brother cared so much about honor and upholding his reputation as a respectable warrior. And since Spruceheart saw Birchfeather as an extension of himself, any mistake that Birchfeather made was seen as a personal failure.

“Oh, come now, Goldenfang. He was just trying to get his beauty sleep,” Mountainback rumbled, further enticing laughter from the clan.   
“ _ I _ get  _ my  _ beauty sleep every night, and I always look better than that,” Rosethorn added arrogantly.

“Are you sure about that? I remember that one time when you woke up and looked like a rabid squirrel,” Lionheart meowed from beside his friend, Sunpelt. “Remember that Sunpelt?”

“Oh, definitely.”

The two mischievous toms could hardly keep the amusement from their voices as Rosethorn’s jaw dropped, a whine of disbelief escaping her. She was such a diva.

“I told you to never mention that again,” she hissed defensively, and Birchfeather could practically taste the humiliation rolling off of her pelt as laughter boomed around the clearing. “It was  _ one time _ . I don’t know why you have to keep-”

“Enough!”

Goldenfang had walked into the center of the crowd, casting an annoyed glance at every cat who dared to meet her gaze.

“God, you’re all worse than Birchfeather. Enough is enough. Mountainback, I want you to lead the hunting patrol. Take Bearclaw and Lilytongue with you.”

Birchfeather watched as Mountainback puffed out his chest at the mention of his name, clearly pleased at the deputy’s announcement. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. No part of him was arrogant or prideful like that. The desire to be in charge of others and order them what to do was completely lost on him. His only focus day to day was to stay alive, and never,  _ ever  _ take life too seriously. What was the point in living if all you did was ruin your own day with excessive worrying?

“Is something wrong, mama’s boy?”

Mountainback’s growl snapped him out of his own thoughts, and he instantly felt his pelt begin to bristle at the mention of his mother.

“No. Is something wrong with you?” he meowed innocently, watching his clanmate sneer before facing the deputy again. But he couldn’t help himself. “You pompous oaf,” he hissed under his breath, the retort escaped him before he even had a chance to process it.

“What was that? I don’t think I heard you.”

He watched as anger consumed his clanmate as he thrust his face in front of his own, aggression curling his lip into a snarl as an unspoken threat blazed in his eyes. His gaze was challenging, as though he dared Birchfeather to say another word.

“Mountainback, please, there’s no need for violence,” Spruceheart meowed firmly, glaring at the tom from nearby. 

Birchfeather knew that his brother would rush to his defense in a heartbeat, but that was the last thing he wanted. He could handle this on his own.

“I said, you’re a mindless, pompous, arrogant oaf-”

“Who is an oaf? Are we talking about Mountainback? I’d have to agree, 100%.”

Ruggedstar’s voice pierced the air as he sauntered through the camp entrance, Graywolf and Braveheart hot on his heels. They had just returned from a border patrol, their sides heaving ever so slightly from the strain of running.

Birchfeather followed his clanmates gaze until all eyes rested on the returning cats. Mountainback had already been pissed, but the sight of his brother took that anger to a whole new level. Birchfeather could tell he was biting his tongue as he stared daggers at the leader.

“I was deciding who would lead a hunting patrol when these two thought it would be a good idea to get into another ‘who’s dick is bigger’ competition,” Goldenfang growled annoyedly, shoving her way to the front of the crowd to greet Ruggedstar. She dipped her head respectfully before meeting his amused gaze.

“Ah, what else is new! We all know it’s Birchfeathers. Case closed. Let’s move on with the day, shall we?”

The clan could hardly stifle their laughter at the expense of Mountainback, who of course found the situation less than amusing. Birchfeather could practically feel the tension in the air as Ruggedstar passed by, and if he didn’t know any better, the leader seemed to like it that way.

The rivalry between the brother’s was renowned; their relationship was the polar opposite of the one he had with Spruceheart. Yeah, they bickered constantly, but at the end of the day he knew they would die for eachother. Ruggedstar and Mountainback, though? They would die trying to destroy one another. He still couldn’t believe that the leader even allowed Mountainback to stay a part of the clan. The only reason he could think of was...

“I heard there was a fight, is everything okay?”

Birchfeather whipped his head around to see his mother approaching from the direction of the nursery. A look of concern was plastered across her face, as it always was. Warmth bloomed in his chest at the sight of her, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The rest of the clan had already forgotten the previous drama and was focused on taking orders from the leader and his deputy. Even his brother seemed to be doing his best to let the scuffle go. Now it was just him and his mother standing away from the crowd, hiding in the shade away from the sun’s rays.

“Everything’s fine, just Mountainback being Mountainback,” he meowed, rasping his tongue over her ear soothingly. She didn’t need to worry. Especially with kits on the way.

“Oh, was he being hurtful again?” she meowed, a deep sorrow to her voice. She had provided so many litters for the clan, and no matter how old they got, she always loved and cared for them. Even those that were not her children felt loved by her. She was just that kind, and special.

“I’m sorry baby. You know, he’s never been the same since Rugged came back. I bet if you just talked to him, you guys could work it out. He just wants to feel a sense of importance and accomplishment, as we all do… Don’t let him get to you.”

A purr rumbled in her chest as she placed a comforting tail along Birchfeather’s back. He smiled down at her fondly as she spoke, and while he appreciated her desire to resolve the situation, there was nothing that could be done. No matter how much she wanted peace between them, it would never happen. Everything Mountainback stood for, he despised, and vice versa.

“Oh, did you ever have Boulderface look at that weird mark on your leg? I heard about someone with that same mark, and they said it was some type of fungus… You really should have that looked at...”

She rose to a stand, turning to stare at his hind leg before pawing at the fur, trying to inspect him.

“Mom, I’m fine, you need to stop worrying. You have to start letting me obsess over my own mark’s okay?” he chuckled, pulling his leg away from her. “That’s part of growing up. Didn’t Mosspool have the ‘you’re an adult now and it’s time to take care of your own weird fungus issues’ talk with you when you were made a warrior?”

Her eyes twinkled as her laughter filled the air, and he felt happy that he was able to make her happy, even if for a moment.

“You know I’ll always worry about you,” she meowed sweetly. “Even when you’re old like me!”

“Hey mom.”

Spruceheart’s voice could be heard nearby and Birchfeather turned to watch as he calmly approached. He wore a smile too at the sight of their mother.

“Oh, hi baby! How are you today?”

She licked his cheek happily, and to Birchfeather’s shock, he let her. Normally his brother wasn’t one for affection; he was too awkward and uptight. But nobody would turn down love from Brindlepelt. Except Willowfire, maybe…

“I’m doing just fine. I just came over to let Birchfeather know that Goldenfang wants us to go on a patrol with Tigerblossom.”

“Thanks Spruce,” he meowed, nodding his head at his brother before turning to stare down at his mother again. She was so small. Half of her size came from her fur, too. It was amazing that she found room inside of her for more kits.

“Take care of our little brothers and sisters while we’re gone, alright?” he said, gesturing to her slightly swollen stomach.

“Oh, I’m positive it’s girls this time! I can just  _ feel  _ it Birchy. I’m so excited.”

The queen was practically shaking with anticipation.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest as he licked the top of her head. “I believe you. You take care of yourself too, okay?”

“I will honey! Be safe, have a great day! And  _ no more Dark Forest _ !”

His mother’s voice rang behind him as he walked towards Tigerblossom with his brother. “I will!” he called over his shoulder, happiness flowing through every inch of his body as he headed towards whatever the day had in store.

~

Tigerblossom had taken the lead early on in the patrol, scouting the area with alert eyes and ears. She had always come by the art of stealth rather easily. Her footsteps made little to no noise, and despite every motion being very well calculated, she moved through the trees rather quickly.

The toms were not too far behind her with Spruceheart being the only one taking the patrol as seriously as she was. Despite his unannounced irritation at her taking charge, he had been cordial and professional, as always. She saw a lot of herself in him.

The cats pressed on along the northern border, swiftly making their way to the western one with no words shared between. Eventually they arrived at their destination, and Tigerblossom tilted her head back to taste the air.

The sunlight danced on her pelt and she happily embraced its warmth. While their territory was rarely cold, there was nothing compared to the intense heat that greeted you once you stepped onto the flat terrain just outside the border. There was a long expanse of land that suddenly became tall grass not too far away. The tall grass seemed to stretch on for miles, and the only thing to be seen in the distance was a line of pitch black trees that led into The Dark Forest.

“We should mark further out this time, along the tall grass,” she meowed to her clanmates, turning her head to face them. She pretended to not take notice of the way Spruceheart had been staring at her.

“Why? That just sounds like extra work,” Birchfeather replied, yet despite his words, there was no confrontational edge to his tone.

“To give the illusion that our territory is bigger than it is. If Flamepelt’s claims about seeing a Shadow Walker are true, then we need to be prepared for anything. If we mark along the treeline, they’ll think that just the forest is ours. If we mark past it, out into the fields, they’ll know we’re not afraid to expand. It’s a show of confidence.”

She watched as the tom seemed to mull over her words, while his brother seemed to understand her idea immediately.

“Good thinking,” Spruceheart meowed, bounding closer to the tall grass leaving Birchfeather to be confused all by himself. He stared at it for a moment before continuing. “But we should ask Ruggedstar first.”

An annoyed expression flickered across her face at his words. “I don’t think he’d have an issue with us playing it smart.”

“He wouldn’t. Spruceheart is just dramatic.”

The she-cat turned to stare at Birchfeather as he spoke, creasing her brows judgmentally as she watched him lazily mark a tree, hardly squatting down as though the strain were too much to handle. She shifted her gaze back to Spruceheart just in time to see him glaring daggers at his brother.

“I believe he would. Marking further beyond the treeline is something we should consult him about; even if it’s merely for giving the illusion of more territory.”

She felt her blood pressure rising the more he talked, but otherwise remained quiet. While she was focused and hardworking, she didn’t obsess over the rules like he did. Sometimes you just had to make a heat of the moment decision. But he didn’t believe in that. What he believed in was law, and order. It was both his greatest strength, and his greatest weakness.

“Oh shit, the fuck is that?”

Birchfeather’s question snapped her out of her irritation in mere seconds as curiosity consumed her. “What is what?”

“That.”

She followed his gaze to watch a small animal burst out of the tall grass, tripping over its own legs onto the flat ground where she and her clanmates stood. Its sides were heaving as it scrabbled to a stand, and after a moment, she quickly realized it wasn’t just any animal. It was a cat.

Alarm blazed in its eyes like she’d never seen before, and although she had little to no maternal instincts, she knew they had to do something. She just didn’t know what.

The tiny kitten stumbled towards them, clearly too exhausted to stand. Its mouth flapped as though it were trying to speak and couldn’t.

“Hey, take a deep breath,” Spruceheart meowed, quickly rushing to approach their little companion. Relief flooded her that he was there. If it had been solely up to her awkwardness and Birchfeather’s apathetic nature, this scenario would’ve gone a lot differently.

“You’re alright. We’re not going to hurt you,” the tom continued, gently grabbing the kitten's scruff and running it closer to the forest before setting it down. The kitten didn’t seem to protest, going limp in his jaws the second he was picked up.

“Is he dead?”

“No, he’s not dead,” Spruceheart snapped at his brother.

Tigerblossom approached very cautiously, lowering herself to the ground as though worried something else was going to come out of nowhere. Where had he come from? And more importantly, why was he running?

He was a dirty bundle of tangled fur, the only sign that he was alive being the subtle rise and fall of his chest. She turned to stare out into the tall grass as the brothers continued to watch over him. Spruceheart was trying to ask questions but eventually gave up per Birchfeather’s advice. There was no point. The kitten could barely move, let alone talk.

“What do we do now?” she heard Birchfeather ask.

“I don’t know,” his brother replied, concern lathering his tone.

“Well we have to do something.”   
“You think I don’t know that?”

“We can’t take him back to camp,” she meowed suddenly.

She felt their eyes burning into her pelt as they turned to stare at her.

“What? Why not?” Spruceheart asked.

“It could be a trap.”

The two toms turned to look at one another at the same time, seeming to share the same confusion.

“I’ll go back to camp and tell Ruggedstar what’s happened. I’ll try to convince him to send Boulderface out here. You two stay here, I’ll be back soon,” she continued, not wanting to leave room for a debate. Time was ticking by. Who knew what this little cat was up to. Either way, a terrified kitten appearing out of nowhere was never a good sign. They had to act fast.

The warrior ignored the tom's questions and protests as she raced past them into the forest, determined to get help and find the answers she was looking for.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

Towards the back of the den, Boulderface was sorting through his endless supply of herbs while Lilytongue rambled on nearby. She had come to him yesterday complaining of a pain in her side, and now here she was again, crying about the same thing. She’d even managed to weasel her way out of the hunting patrol she’d been assigned to earlier. While the cats of Oakclan were known for their resiliency, they were also known for their dramatics. It drove the medicine cat insane.

“It won’t go away!” she wailed pitifully.

Boulderface turned to watch her wandering mindlessly around his den, examining and sniffing at every single item she came across. The pain in her voice was clearly an exaggeration; she was moving around just fine. Which led him to his next question; did she truly have an ailment, or did she want attention? He never knew with these cats.

“Its been happening on and off all day. From the second I woke up! Eating helped a little bit but then it got worse again…” she meowed, pausing to stare in awe at a bright purple flower before continuing, “Anyways, I’m in pain and I need an herb to fix it.”

Just when the tom thought his eyes couldn’t roll back into his head any further, there they went.

“Quit complaining,” he griped, finally settling on a mix of watermint and thyme. “Before I give you these, I need you to be honest with me.”

He turned away from his wall of herbs to face her, meeting her gaze with a steady confidence. “Do you really have a stomach ache? Or is something else going on?”

The she-cats face immediately soured at his words, and in mere seconds he fell victim to her nasty glare.

“You think I’d lie about this? Why would I make up a stomach ache?” she snapped.

“Its happened before. Both your sister and Lionheart have faked illness to get a hold of my herbs.”

“Well my name isn’t Rosethorn or Lionheart, now is it? I’m Lilytongue, and if you don’t treat me right now I’m going to tell Ruggedstar.”

The warrior’s voice reached a level of whininess that even he didn’t know was possible. She sounded like a spoiled brat. Then again, she was one. The toms in the clan adored her. She’d nailed the damsel in distress act in order to get what she wanted. Sadly, he was one of the few who could see right through it.

“Fine, tell him. I don’t care. You either need help or you don’t. Not my problem,” he meowed curtly, turning his back on her and beginning to return the herbs to their proper places.

“Wait!” she exclaimed suddenly. “It really does hurt! Please?”

Every muscle in his body was quivering from the strain of trying to keep his composure. Why must she be so difficult? He turned around to face her one last time, his expression displaying all the annoyance he felt inside.

“Where does it hurt? And answer my questions this time instead of just saying ‘it hurts’ over and over again.”

The she-cat rolled onto her side, poking an awkward paw at the center of her body, just underneath her chest. He walked closer to investigate, placing his own paws on her underbelly before gently pressing on different parts of it.

“Does this hurt at all?”

“Nope,” she meowed, shaking her head adamantly while staring at her stomach.

“Hmm..”

The tom’s face creased as though he were deep in thought. He took a step back eventually, wanting to be careful in his diagnoses. There were only so many things it could be, but surely…

“Well?” she demanded.

“Have you thrown up at all?” he asked her, meeting her gaze.

“Yeah, like, once. Yesterday. But it wasn’t that big of a deal I mean, it was shortly after I ate. Probably just some spoiled food.”

“Have you felt different? More irritable? More relaxed?”

“Mmm… I mean, not really. I’ve felt a little happier than usual.”

The medicine cat continued to watch her stomach, but he no longer seemed to be examining it; it was almost as though he were looking through it, waiting for something to happen.

Eventually his mouth curled into a smirk of disbelief as he shook his head ever so slightly.

 _Wow_ , he thought. _Both unbelievable, and believable._

“What? What’s so funny?” she meowed indignantly, face turning into a pout.

“I think you’re pregnant.”

“ **_WHAT_ **?!”

The medicine cat could barely get the entire sentence out before she cut him off with her exclamation, throwing herself to a stand as though she’d been struck by lightning.

“No no no there’s _no_ fucking way! No fucking way. No. You can’t be serious. Poke me again. Do it.”

She shuffled towards him, swatting at his paw while flashing her stomach at him.

The tom growled irritably when he felt her paw on his own, quickly taking a step away from his panicked clanmate. “First of all, don’t touch me. Second of all, are you really that surprised?” he meowed crossly.

“Don’t slut-shame me!” Lilytongue hissed, hackles raising as her tail lashed furiously.

“I’m not slut shaming anyone. What you do in your free time is none of my business. I’m saying, it’s not surprising or unlikely. You had to know the risks. Now, you have the next few months to freak out all you want. Right now we need to get you medicated.”

“No!” she protested. It seemed as though his words had simply made her more defensive.

“Saying ‘no’ doesn’t make you not-pregnant. Sorry.”

A silence was shared between them for a few moments. He watched her with an impatient, cross expression, while her eyes flickered around the den erratically, her breath quickening from panic.

“FUCK!” she spat. “I don’t want to be a fucking mom. I hate kits. They’re annoying and loud and.. And.. They’re just fucking annoying!”

 _They’ll take after their mother then_.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do?!”

“Right now, you can quiet down and take a deep breath. Stress is bad for the kits. Now, wait here while I get you some herbs,” he ordered her. The only thing that brought him stress was dealing with other cats. Especially ones that were juvenile, stubborn, and refused to listen. Unfortunately, that made up the majority of cats in Oakclan. But illness? Wounds? Diseases? Those were easy to figure out. It was nothing but knowledge, and application of said knowledge.

Once he collected the herbs he needed he quickly chewed them up into a bolus, placing it on a leaf before turning and pushing it in front of her. To his surprise, she simply stared at it, not saying a single word. For the first time in his life, he had seen her speechless.

“I don’t want to be pregnant,” she murmured, and if he didn’t know any better, it almost sounded like she was going to cry.

He stared at her quietly, unsure of what to say. He never knew how to act in these situations. Emotions were not in his field of expertise; logic was. But if he did know one thing, it was that people hated being made to feel like their emotions were invalid. Unfortunately, that was also not in his field of expertise. But he did his best.

“Lilytongue,” he sighed, sounding slightly defeated himself. “If there was something I could do to take this burden from you, I would. But no herb that I’m aware of can end a pregnancy. The best thing you can do is take care of yourself. You can’t change this situation, but you can change how you see it. You’re a confident, self possessed warrior. Your legacy will be passed down through your children. These kits are a gift to the clan; and the clan will be honored to have them.”

By the end of his speech, the troubled warrior had slowly lifted her gaze to meet his, a gentle sniffle escaping her after he had finished. It was hard for him to see the sadness in her eyes. She definitely was not the first she-cat who had gone through this, and she wouldn’t be the last. All he could do now was stay calm and help her through this journey.

“Thank you, Boulderface,” she murmured, her gentle eyes wet with unshed tears. A few whimpers escaped her as she tried to compose herself. “I don’t think they’re a gift. But I’ll do my best.”

A forced smile made its way onto her face before she leaned down and lapped up the herbs at her feet. Once she had finished she cast him a heavy but appreciative glance before turning to walk back out into the clearing. He had never seen the bubbly she-cat look so defeated.

“Wait,” he meowed suddenly. He watched as she paused, turning her head to stare at him.

“What is it?”

“Don’t tell anyone about this yet, okay?”

Her face creased in confusion at his words. “Why?”

“Just… Not yet,” he insisted. To his relief, she looked too exhausted to protest. After a moment of tense silence, the warrior nodded respectfully before finally leaving the den.

Boulderface let out a deep sigh as though he’d been holding his breath the entire time. This was the last thing he’d expected to happen today. Then again, being the medicine cat of a reckless, impulsive clan was never a dull job.

Just when he thought the day couldn’t get any weirder, he heard his name being called from out in the clearing.

“Boulderface, where is he? Have you seen Boulderface?”

“He’s in his den dear. Is everything alright?” he heard Brindlepelt meow worriedly.

Whoever had been calling his name didn’t reply to the queen’s question. Curiosity got the best of him and as he was making his way towards the den entrance, Tigerblossom rushed inside.

“There’s an injured kit out by the fields. We don’t know where he came from,” she meowed, speaking quickly as though in a hurry, “But he needs help.”

His medicine cat instincts immediately kicked in at the mention of a cat in distress, and he could practically feel the gears beginning to grind in his head as he tried to make sense of her words.

“Did you tell Ruggedstar?” he asked immediately. “Was he bleeding? Did he say what happened?”

“No, not yet. I didn’t see any bleeding and he’s too exhausted to talk. It looked like he was… Like he was running from something.”

Boulderface’s blood instantly turned to ice at the mention of a potential predator. His pessimistic mind immediately went to the darkest place he could think of.

“You said you found him by the fields?”

“Yes.”

“Was he running from the direction of The Dark Forest?”

In less than a second, the same realization crept onto her face, and she seemed just as disturbed as he was.

“I told them it might be a trap. That’s why we didn’t bring him back to camp.”

“Them?” he asked.

“Yeah, Birchfeather and Spruceheart.”

Relief spread through him that she hadn’t left the kit out there by itself. He was also grateful that it was the two brother’s who were watching over it. The other cats of Oakclan wouldn’t have harmed the kitten, but they also wouldn’t have treated it with the same care that the two toms probably were. He knew Spruceheart would die before letting any harm come to the kitten, and while Birchfeather was by far the laziest cat in all the clans, he had a pure heart, and the fighting abilities to back it. The kitten was safe. For now.

“Wait until after I leave to speak to Ruggedstar,” he ordered, immediately beginning to wrap up thyme and coltsfoot in a large leaf. 

“Why?” she asked, confusion souring her expression.

“Because, Starclan knows he’ll talk the issue to death just to come to some asinine decision involving what’s ‘best’ for the clan. No, I’ll leave first so that by the time you tell him what I’m doing, I’ll already be halfway to the kit.”

He quickly scooped up the leaf in his jaws, turning to face the she-cat who still stood in the entrance. She eyed him suspiciously, and for a moment he thought she was going to sell him out. But to his relief she nodded, stepping aside to let him leave.

He bounded out into the clearing, sticking tightly to the shadows until he had gotten safely out of camp. All he could do now was keep his head straight and put one foot in front of the other. He just hoped she kept her word.

After what felt like the longest journey ever, the western border began to fade into view through the trees, the earthy scent of the tall grass hitting the roof of his mouth. He picked up the pace, climbing awkwardly over roots and through bushes until he found himself standing on the other side of the border.

“Boulderface, over here!”

Spruceheart’s voice graced his ears not moments later, and he whipped around to see the two toms standing guard over a small bundle of fur. Just as he knew they would be.

He ran over, sides heaving from the strain of the journey. He was a medicine cat, not a warrior; it was rare he left the safety of the camp to stretch his muscles.

“Has he said anything?” he demanded after setting the leaf down, nudging the kit gently with his nose. He watched as the cat’s chest rose and fell ever so softly, but other than that, he was entirely still.

He quickly began to look over the kitten in search of wounds to treat. All he found were some gashes in his neck that looked like they were caused by a large pair of jaws. After examining the puncture wounds further, he came to the conclusion that they belonged to a cat. He swiftly applied cobwebs and wondered to himself, why would anyone want to hurt a kitten?

After a few more moments the medicine cat hovered his face over the tiny stranger, inhaling as deeply as possible. His scent was heavily masked by the smell of blood, dirt, and the tall grass. But after a few deep breaths, he caught traces of the exact thing he was looking for. He was a Shadow Walker.

Mere seconds after he discovered where the kitten came from, a soft rasping sound could be heard coming from the kitten’s mouth.

“Is he okay?” Spruceheart meowed.

“Shh,” Boulderface hissed, leaning closer and closer until his ear was right on the little tom’s muzzle. He held his breath, feeling as though he might explode from impatience.

 _Speak_ , he thought. _What were you_ **_saying_ ** _?_

After a few more failed attempts, the kitten finally lifted his head up ever so slightly, whispering a name that he never expected to hear;

“Flamepelt.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens to Littlepaw after Spiderstar's bloodthirsty announcement of his death? What punishment will he endure for his betrayal? Find out now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: Read while listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEeL3gbNDZ8

The world suddenly becomes so much bigger. 

Every breath, every step, every word is so easily taken for granted. In the very moments leading up to your death is when you finally realize this. As you stare the end in the face, suddenly all the things that were ‘going to be’ become ‘could’ve been’s. Every facet of existence is magnified as you realize how precious those dreams were to you. You never grasped their importance until you found out they were no longer possible. The crippling weight of your new reality is consuming; it grips your throat until you cannot breathe. Your chest becomes tight as your body attempts to fight against fate itself. But no one can run from their final moments. When you are small, and alone, there is nothing to bring you comfort. It is you and you alone, facing the inevitability of closure, facing the inevitability of death. The most empty feeling in the entire world. The moment when you can count every last beating of your broken heart.

“Please do not do this,” the deputy pleaded. “There is another way.”

He could hear her voice; a dull murmur in the background of his own mind. A million thoughts ran through his head, yet at the exact same time, he felt he had no thoughts at all. His entire future was running past him in mere moments. A ghost in his peripheral that would disappear if he looked too closely. For the first time in his life he wondered if this was what it was like to truly be afraid.

“There is no other way. The Shadows witnessed his treachery and I will now cast judgment on their behalf. Tell me, my loyal deputy, why the darkness has more honor than you do? Why protect a coward?”

Spiderstar’s words were met with yowls of approval, yowls of accusations, yowls of rage. Whatever she said was emulated by those around her; a puppeteer and her puppets.

“We will peel his skin from his bones and you will watch me taste his blood. He will forever be your greatest failure. As long as you are here, the shadows will never let you forget. That will be your punishment. That will become your undoing.”

With every word she spoke, the same question flickered through his mind; would those be the last words he hears?

The air slowly began to cool as night fell upon the forest, and something about the cold made him feel less afraid. It was like a taste of death. When your body goes numb and your soul fades away; he knew his final moments would be free of all warmth.

He wanted to embrace the end, not run from it. His whole life he had been a coward. The last decision he would ever make would be the one of a warrior. The only person who had ever believed in him just might be proud for a single moment. That was enough for him.

“Blazingfrost, it’s okay,” he meowed, stepping out from behind Heatherpaw who to his surprise looked full of sorrow. He stared into the deputy’s blue eyes and found a similar sadness to them. Why, he wondered, was death the one thing to make someone care? “Spiderstar is right.”

The small tom padded forward, a gentle lamb before a herd of lions, coming to a stop before the deputy. He stood in her shadow and found that it was the only darkness in all the forest that held any warmth. He never wanted that to fade away.

“Thank you, for everything. I’m excited to meet Starclan, if they’ll have me. Maybe I will belong there…” he meowed, forcing his mouth to curl into a pained smile. It felt impossible to let go. But it was the only choice he had left.

He took one final step closer to her, wanting to shut out the rest of the world for just one second longer. Her eyes held an indescribable emotion, one that he had never seen before. Perhaps even she could feel anguish.

He continued to hold her gaze as unspoken words were shared between them, his mind drifting back to their earlier conversation.

_ “Would you let them kill me?” _

_ The silence had felt deafening. He had no idea what to expect from his mentor; the one cat in all the forest who had shown him any kindness. Would his only friend stand by his side in death? Or would she leave him too? _

_ “No. I wouldn’t,” she meowed finally. _

**_She wouldn’t_ ** _ , he thought, feeling a warmth spread through his chest at the thought that somebody, anybody, might care about him. _

“I’m sorry for letting you down,” he murmured, voice cracking ever so slightly. She was not his mother, but it was the closest thing he’d ever felt to a mother’s love.

He nuzzled into the warmth of her chest, feeling his tears stain her fur as he wept. After a moment he pulled away, watching as the deputy stood there, frozen in place. Even she seemed unable to accept his death. The one thing she was unable to control. It had broken her.

A wail escaped him in a matter of seconds as Spiderstar gave the order for his slaughter; claws pulled at his skin from every direction, dragging him to a new pair of hungry jaws with every jerk. It felt as though he had been set on fire, invisible flames coiling around his limbs that set his soul ablaze. He wanted to be brave, but all he felt was terror. A scrap of helpless fur tortured beneath an unforgiving moon.

It had to be over soon, he thought. But the night had just begun.

He could hear his clanmates snarling and wailing as they fought over him, angry paws kicking up dust that sparkled against the night sky like false stars. The last words he might ever hear, he realized, just might be his own. An apology for his existence.

His paws could only run him so far before someone kicked him back. Another one of his cry’s piercing the sky, another shriek of pure fear. It went on and on, a pointless game with no end in sight.

_ Please Starclan, take me. I want to come home. _

His heart pounded tirelessly in his chest as he waited for his prayers to be answered. All he could do was accept whatever happened next. All he could do was pray that the next step in his journey would be his last.

“Please!” he cried, feeling more claws swat toyingly at his feet, pulling them out from underneath him. They wouldn’t even allow him the dignity of standing. All they wanted was to knock him down; to prey on his weakness, and fear. “Kill me!”

He began to count the seconds. A mere minute felt like a lifetime, and as his energy faded away, he found himself collapsing. At last, these were his final moments. Where the world suddenly becomes so large as the inevitability of death consumes you. 

_ Kill me. _

The kitten blocked out all voices, all pain; he strained to listen for the words of Starclan as they embraced him into the heavens. But nobody spoke to him. Even in death, would he die alone?

It was then that the most unpredictable of things happened. In his last moments when he had embraced his fate, his body giving way to the end, a fiery pain electrocuted his spine, jolting him back to life. It was as though he had been struck by lightning, and for a moment he wondered if that was his death-dealing blow. As his body was lifted into the air, he wondered if he were flying. He had always wished he could fly. Fly up into the sky and go far away from here. Find a family, find a friend, find someone to love him. Maybe that was where he was going now.

Time passed by as he waited patiently in the darkness. He could feel his limbs swaying in the breeze, he could feel the pain in his spine stronger than ever, he could feel his blood dripping down his pelt. But there were no claws, no snarls, no assailants. Just eternal shadows and the feeling of wind in his fur.

This continued for some time until a familiar voice graced his ears.

“Littlepaw…”

It was panicked, and insistent. It knew who he was. What did it want?

“You need to get up, Littlepaw.”

He could feel the cold ground beneath him, threatening to pull him deeper into the earth until he became one with the roots.

“You have to run.”

Moments passed as he lay there, and suddenly the forest for which he held so much contempt began to give him life. He heard the shadow’s whispers as they enveloped him in their embrace, blessing him with the gift of healing, and strength. But something else was happening. He could feel his mind slipping away, his memories being stolen by the same shadows that were healing him. His past suddenly seemed so distant. For a moment he feared he couldn’t even remember his own name.

_ Who am I? _

“Littlepaw!”

The voice finally pierced through his consciousness, and he felt his small, tear filled eyes snap open.

_ I am… Littlepaw. _

He turned his neck ever so slightly to meet a pair of striking blue eyes; they burned with icy flames that told stories of fear, and suffering. But these eyes, they knew him. This voice, this person, knew him very well. He could tell. So why did he not know them?

The stranger pulled him to a stand with their jaws, growling endless pleas that he run. Why, he wondered, did this person want him to run?

His vision finally focused as he stared at them in awe; as he stared at  _ her  _ in awe. A large red she-cat loomed over him, barking orders that sounded so familiar yet so distant. He remembered her. She had taken him in her jaws and ran him through the dark trees. She had set him down here, just outside this forest. But why? Who was she?

“Run straight through the fields. Follow the rising sun. Do not stop until you reach the forest. Find Flamepelt. Littlepaw, are you listening? You have to run. I can’t hold them off for forever. Littlepaw? Are you listening?”

While he didn’t know this cat, while he had no idea where he was, or who he was, some part of him deep down knew that he could trust her. It was the one thing he did know in all the world. And he clung to it for dear life.

He began to stumble backwards towards the tall grass, practically tripping over his paws as the distance between him and the she-cat grew.

Eyes suddenly began to flash from the darkness as three new cats appeared, stepping out of the trees with a murderous hunger in every movement. They advanced on the red cat, his savior, and he wished he could thank her. But something told him that the only thanks she needed was him being free.

He stared at her one second longer, meeting her cold blue gaze with his own, before turning tail and diving into the tall grass as a chorus of wails arose from behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever a cat is banished from Rootclan, the shadows take their memories.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, on the same day as Littlepaw's escape, back in Oakclan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.

Spruceheart could hardly keep track of everything that had happened. It seemed as though the world was playing some practical joke on him and his brother.

He had been excited to learn that they were going on a hunting patrol with Tigerblossom; she was beautiful, and he admired her drive and focus. Few cats in the clan were as disciplined as she was. But the patrol had quickly turned sour when he and the she-cat had butt heads over where to mark the border. And just when he thought the moment couldn’t get more uncomfortable, a dying kitten had fallen out of the tall grass.

As he watched Boulderface poke and prod at the small tom, he wondered how the day could possibly get any weirder, when suddenly;

“Flamepelt.”

His ears pricked up immediately at the mention of his clanmate.

“You know Flamepelt?” he meowed from nearby, keeping his distance so as to give the medicine cat his space. He was shocked that he’d been able to hear the kitten’s word; the kitten had said it so quietly. But his curiosity had heightened his senses.

Boulderface wore a scowl as he seemed to be deliberating over what to do next. Spruceheart knew that Starclan often sent medicine cat’s visions of the future; he wondered if the gray tom had seen this coming. But it wasn’t the time to ask. And plus, even if he did ask, he doubted Boulderface would answer.

The only thing that all three of them knew for sure was this; somehow this kitten knew their clanmate.

He shifted his attention to his brother who wore the same confused expression as he did, but to his surprise, his brother seemed deep in thought. If he didn’t know any better, he saw a flicker of realization come over Birchfeather. As though he knew what was going on. But it was gone just as quickly as it had come.

“Let’s take him back to camp. If it were a trap, something would’ve happened by now,” Boulderface meowed, gently trying to get the kitten to eat the medicine he had brought. To his relief, the kitten lapped the herbs right up, as though he were starving.

“He must be hungry,” Spruceheart pointed out. He turned his brooding expression to the forest, scanning the trees as he tasted the air. “You guys should go. I’ll go hunting and will meet you back at camp.”

The medicine cat nodded sharply in agreement before ordering Birchfeather to carry the kit. His argument was that Birchfeather was stronger. And, to be fair, he wasn’t wrong. His brother seemed less than thrilled at his new task but didn’t complain as he gently grabbed the small tom in his jaws. The kitten whimpered slightly from pain, and he saw Birchfeather flinch at the sound.

“You’re doing fine Birch, just keep being careful and don’t apply too much pressure,” Spruceheart meowed, attempting to both comfort and guide him. But his brother only seemed to hear the ‘bossy’ part of the sentence and shot him a ‘yeah, I know’ glance before bounding off after Boulderface.

The brown warrior huffed before racing off in a different direction, mouth parted as he began his hunt.

~

By the time he had returned to camp, a crowd had gathered outside the nursery den, which instantly told him where the kitten was. Ruggedstar was at its front, and to his surprise, the leader seemed rather calm. He had been around Ruggedstar enough to pick up on the hint of annoyance in his expression, but other than that everything seemed fine.

He quickly dropped a vole by the elder’s den before carrying a mouse towards the nursery.

“Move out of the way,” he heard Boulderface bark. Aside from one cat who scoffed in offense, a small path began to open up for Spruceheart.

“He’s in here,” the medicine cat continued, gesturing for him to bring the mouse inside and give it to the kitten. Before he even went inside, he knew why the kitten was in the nursery.

Sure enough, once his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit den, his mother came into view with the tiny cat buried deep into her side. The way she looked down at him was innocent, and loving. It was as though he were her own.

“Poor baby,” Brindlepelt meowed, gently pulling the kitten closer with her paw. “His mother must be so worried.”

Spruceheart set the mouse down by the tom’s head, and in less than no time he had begun to devour the mouse, nearly choking on every bite.

“Slow down dear, don’t hurt yourself. We can always get you more if you’re still hungry. The food isn’t going anywhere,” the queen murmured sweetly. The kitten blinked up at her and Spruceheart swore he saw a mix of fear and confusion in his eyes. It was almost as though he didn’t trust her kindness.

“Has he said anything?” he asked.

Boulderface and Brindlepelt both shook their heads in response.

“Where is Flamepelt, then?”

“He’s out on a patrol. Now, everyone get out,” the medicine cat ordered irritably, beginning to herd the crowd away from the nursery.

Spruceheart backed up slowly, bumping into Willowfire along the way.

“Watch it!” she snarled instantly, already having unsheathed her claws. He glared at her cooly, fighting the urge to unsheath his own. She was by far the most unpleasant she-cat he had ever met. Hostile, violent, hypersensitive. Her temper was renowned and he swore the only thing she knew how to feel was anger. He couldn’t stand her. But, he also wouldn’t stoop to her level, so instead of continuing the argument he walked off in search of his brother.

He found him sitting in the shade, and to his surprise, he wasn’t falling asleep. In fact he seemed very wide awake. Almost too awake.

“You look like you saw a ghost. Do you know something I don’t? If you know anything about the kitten, you need to tell Ruggedstar and Boulderface,” he meowed, taking a seat in front of him.

Birchfeather glared at him before responding. “I don’t know anything.”

“You never get bothered by anything, but you’re bothered by this. Why?”

“I’m not.”

“I can tell that you are.”

“Fine, see whatever you want. I don’t know anything about the kitten. Now can you please leave me alone?” Birchfeather insisted stubbornly before rising to a stand and storming off to the warrior’s den.

_ What the hell. _

Nothing ever got to his brother. The fact that his brother was more worried about this than he was was a bad sign. What was he missing?

Whatever was going on would come to light in good time. Nothing stayed a secret for forever. And if anyone knew anything, it sounded like it would be Flamepelt.

He quickly looked around the clearing until his gaze landed on Tigerblossom, who was watching the nursery observantly from far away. He padded over to her and saw her quickly glance at him out of the corner of her eye. Aside from that, she said nothing.

“Mind if I join you?” he meowed politely.

The she-cat seemed to hesitate for a moment before offering a curt nod.

He took a seat beside her and hoped that they could have a friendlier exchange than the one he’d had with his brother.

“What happened, when you came back to camp?” Spruceheart asked, trying to keep his eyes straight ahead of him so as not to stare at her too much. She was so beautiful, it was hard to look away sometimes. But the last thing he wanted to do was weird her out. She wasn’t the type of she-cat to be flattered by excessive attention.

“You mean what did I tell Ruggedstar?” she meowed curtly, her response taking him off guard.

“Er, that’s not what I-”

“I’m pretty sure that’s what you meant. Listen, if you came over here to make sure I followed the rules and got permission first, don’t bother.”

His face creased in deep confusion at the calico’s excessive defensiveness. What had he done to make her so aggressive towards him? First Willowfire, then Birchfeather, and now her?

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t bother,” she interrupted him a second time, standing up and beginning to walk away.

“Wait! Tigerblossom, I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Please don’t leave just cause I’m a judgmental prick,” Spruceheart called after her, the words tumbling from his mouth so quickly that he hardly had time to process what they all meant. He tried to be calculated with everything he said, or so he thought. According to his Birchfeather, he had a bad habit of saying the first thing that came to his mind. As he rambled to Tigerblossom right now, he realized his brother might be right.

To his relief she paused, turning her head ever so slightly to listen to him. Once he had finished she hesitated for a moment but eventually returned to his side, without addressing anything he had said.

He sat there awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. She had always been hard to get close to. In fact, as far as he was concerned, she didn’t really have any friends within the clan. She was smart, attractive, hardworking; why was she hiding herself away?

The warrior cleared his throat nervously before meowing, “I can’t believe this is happening. I wonder where he came from. Hopefully Flamepelt will be able to offer some answers… Or maybe Starclan, if we’re lucky.”

A few moments of silence passed by and he was sure she wasn’t going to respond. While it frustrated him, he bit his tongue and continued to do his best to enjoy her company. But eventually she spoke and relief flooded through him in waves. With any other cat in the clans he was more than happy to enjoy the silence with. But her? Something about her made him want to talk. Something about her made him feel safe.

“I told Boulderface first. He said we should wait to tell Ruggedstar because convincing him to let him go would’ve taken too long. So Boulderface snuck out and shortly after that I told Ruggedstar. He handled it… Surprisingly well,” she meowed, but at the very end, Spruceheart detected a hint of regret in her voice. Right as he was to question her about it, she continued.

“I shouldn’t doubt him so much. He does the right thing more often than not. I should be thankful to him.”

The warrior watched her speak calmly, doing his best to maintain an understanding expression when she began to open up. He’d been told before that he wasn’t always the best listener. As he listened to her now, he decided he might want to change that.

“It’s easy to judge the ones that have to make the hard decisions. We’re all guilty of it. Nobody is perfect and at the end of the day, you don’t have to like him. But I think you should respect him. I know that if it came down to it, he would die for anybody in this clan, including you,” Spruceheart meowed, doing his best to keep his voice steady and open minded. It was hard for him to stifle his bossy, lecture driven side. But he did his best.

To his relief she nodded ever so slightly, telling him that he did a good job. He felt a twinge of joy in his chest at the minor victory.

“Speaking of Ruggedstar, I wonder what they’re talking about. When I came back he seemed to be deep in conversation with Goldenfang, and now they’re both chatting away with Boulderface and Brindlepelt over there…” he observed, keeping his gaze locked on the nursery. To his immense surprise, the gentle lull of laughter rose up from beside him. He quickly looked down at Tigerblossom, who seemed to be biting back her amusement. The sight of her chuckling made him chuckle in return, a rumble of laughter booming in his chest.

“Glad I could amuse you. I have no idea how, but I’m glad I did.”

“It’s just… I didn’t take you for the gossiping type,” she quipped, smirking up at him with a mischievous and playful expression.

The warrior’s stared into one another’s eyes for a moment too long, and the tom felt warmth begin to blossom in his chest. It warmed every inch of his pelt until he wasn’t sure how much of it was the heat from the sun, or how much of it was merely him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before. It’s nice,” he found himself meowing, meaning every single word. Right as he started to feel proud of himself for the compliment, the she-cat averted her gaze abruptly, and just like that the initial awkwardness returned.

“Did I say something wrong?” Spruceheart asked, trying to keep the sadness from his voice. 

“No,” she replied quickly, slipping back into her prior unfriendliness. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long morning.”

He hadn’t had much experience with she-cats, or friends in general, but he was fairly certain that this was his social queue to leave. The pride of his victory had now become shame over a defeat; a defeat he did not remotely understand. But he figured there would be no point in pushing it right now. If she wanted her space, he would give it to her.

“I understand,” he meowed, maintaining a confident level to his voice. “It was nice speaking with you. I’ll see you around, Tigerblossom.”

The warrior stood to leave, hesitating ever so slightly, hoping deep down that she might meet his gaze once more. But to his disappointment, her soft green gaze remained locked on the nursery, watching, and observing. It was as though he’d never even been there.

Stifling a sigh, he padded away, instinctually wanting to find his brother before remembering that his brother was probably asleep in the warrior’s den. At this point, he wanted to curl up in his own nest. But he would never allow himself to rest while the sun was up; not when there were things that could be done.

Right as he turned to walk towards Ruggedstar, Goldenfang, and Boulderface, a familiar orange pelt lit up his peripheral vision. He snapped his head to stare at the entrance, just in time to see Flamepelt, Cloudfur, and Berrypaw rush into the clearing.

“Hey!” the fiery tom exclaimed immediately, a mix of confusion and excitement in his voice. “Why the hell does it smell like Littlepaw in here?”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After telling Sandstone she'd been sexually assaulted, Dawnspirit makes her way out of the medicine den and into the clearing...  
> During this time, Ravenfur is still taking some much needed alone time by the river after her altercation with the deputy, Stonepelt.  
> Find out what happens with these two she-cats in the next chapter...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head. These thoughts/voices can be memories of things/words said in the past as well.  
> Duskpelt is Dawnspirit's mother.

Whenever something horrible happens, it feels as though a new chapter in life has begun. Like you’re permanently altered by the pain, and the suffering. Sometimes you might even feel as though you’re in a different book entirely. An out of body experience. This can last days, weeks, months. Even years. Some people never make their way back to the first book of their lives. Some don’t even make it to chapter two of their second book. And some… Some feel as though they’re not even narrating at all.

~

The first steps out of the hollow and into the clearing were some of the heaviest steps she’d ever taken in her life. Sunlight wasted no time in greeting her, yet for once, the warmth was unwelcome. She squinted her eyes instinctively against the bright sky but made no efforts to shield herself from it. Suddenly all other discomforts in the world seemed mild. That’s the thing about pain. When you experience great suffering, everything else becomes easy to handle.

Sunstorm still stood guard outside, but to her relief asked no questions as she passed by. Damp earth pushed its way between her paws as she trekked down the path that led towards the river. Many moons of cats running along this exact route had created a trail of sorts. A thin, dusty road littered with twigs and dead leaves. She followed it until the salty bite of water danced on her tongue.

The river was wide, coiling around the entire island like a snake. East of the island, on the other side of the river, was more forest. Thin trees scattered amongst damp soil and endless streams. West of the island, the river faded into a large lake that led towards Oakclan territory. If you stood on the edge of The Isle, overlooking the large body of water, you could see the lush forest in the distance. A part of her had always wanted to visit. She’d heard that they were warm, courageous, brave. But the only exposure she’d had to the great cats of Oakclan was at a gathering, many moons ago. She’d recently been made an apprentice and Tallstar had invited her on the journey. It had been both terrifying and thrilling.

The pebbles gave way beneath her as she bounded along the shore, her subconscious seeming to guide her west towards the exact place she was thinking of.

She wasn’t entirely sure what lay further west beyond The Woodlands. Riverclan cats mostly kept to themselves, and the only things she knew about the outside world were from stories. If memory served her correctly, there was a field. They said it stretched for miles beneath the sun. An expanse of tall, pale grass that swayed in the wind in a sea of golden waves. It ended abruptly before The Dark Forest.

The desire to run to the field burned hot in her chest like fire. She’d never seen it, but something deep inside of her told her to go there. That she’d never truly feel freedom until she ran through the tall grass.

The thought became an itch in her mind that she was unable to scratch. It propelled her onwards, the blood pounding in her ears as she raced towards an unseen finish line. The spray of the river tickled along her right flank as she ran, dampening her fur ever so slightly. But the wind slicing through her pelt kept her dry.

Her thoughts continued to wander, taking her to all the places she wanted to go through the force of imagination.

Just north of The Dark Forest, north _ west  _ of The Isle and The Woodlands, was The Realm. Similarly to the Shadow Walker’s territory, little was known of what went on behind the veil that protected the Elderclan territory. Cats could at least venture into The Dark Forest if they so chose. But The Realm was impossible to enter; not unless you were invited in.

Nobody had figured out what warranted an invitation, but many had tried to receive one. Tales of another world had enticed those from far and wide. They’d stopped at the forest’s edge hoping to be given a glimpse inside. Some longed for power, some longed for wisdom, and many simply wanted answers. What saddened her most were the tales of those who longed for help. She couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to be wounded, or sick, mere steps away from what you believe to be the answer, just to be turned away. A world full of herbs rumored to bring a cat back from the brink of death. But even they were not invited in.

To her, The Realm had always seemed too good to be true. But some part of her heart swelled with hope at the idea that such a place could exist.

_ Perhaps they could heal even me. _

Her paws continued to thunder alongside the river as she raced onwards, her mind drifting away entirely as she became detached from reality. In no time at all she was standing at the western shore, watching the sun sparkle brilliantly along the surface of the lake. Her heart was pounding in her chest faster than it had in a long time.

_ “Shhh, just be still.” _

She could hear his voice in the back of her head. She instantly closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as hard as possible, as though that would force the memory away.

_ “Relax. I won’t hurt you…” _

The beating in her chest only got faster as her panic rose.

_ “Fuck… You’re so beautiful.” _

Her expression contorted into one of horror, and in that moment it was as though it was happening all over again.

“STOP,” she gasped suddenly, stumbling away from the shore before falling onto her side. She scrabbled helplessly towards the tree-line just to slip and fall on the damp earth. It was as though she thought he were going to emerge from the water and drag her down beneath its surface.

She eventually hooked her claws into the ground to steady herself, but by the time she got her footing, the moment was over. The salty breeze and lapping of water brought her back to reality, her breath steadying more and more with every passing moment.

Hardly any time at all had passed since the incident. It felt as though it wasn’t really over yet. Like she was carrying his weight with her everywhere she went. Fear prickled along her spine as she wondered, what would it take for the memory to go away? How was she supposed to live alongside him as though nothing had happened?

Her pale green eyes swept along the water before settling on the line of trees in the distance. Something about them called to her. Maybe it was her desperation for answers, maybe she’d gone entirely mad, but every inch of her pulled towards the forest. It was like an invisible force was whispering in her ear, urging her subconscious onwards. It was like she had no control.

And just like that, her decision was made.

_ I’m going to see the clans. _

Excitement swiftly replaced fear, overwhelming her senses till she was practically shaking. No cat of Riverclan had dared to journey beyond the lake. There were too many unknown, unpredictable factors. All they had to go off of was the brief interactions at gatherings.

None of them had met a Shadow Walker - although that was true of all three clans - and the only Elderclan cat’s they knew of were Elkstar, his deputy Lightgaze, and their medicine cat Silvertongue. Oakclan was the only clan who proudly brought large groups to the gatherings. She only remembered four specific Oakclan cats from the gathering she attended as an apprentice.

Bearclaw and his brother, Graywolf, had taken notice of her. The gray tom had beckoned her over…

_ “Come, child. What is your name?” _

She could still hear the kind rumble of his voice in her ears if she focused hard enough.

They had been nothing but kind to her, asking her about her life, making harmless jokes in an attempt to loosen her up. Bearclaw had one of the most soulful laughs she’d ever heard. She wondered what they were up to now.

After talking with the older brothers, they had called over two apprentices from their clan; Sprucepaw and Birchpaw. She remembered how shy she’d felt when they approached. They hadn’t been unfriendly necessarily. Just… different.

Sprucepaw had been very formal, perhaps the most formal and polite young tom she’d ever met. His brother on the other hand was the exact opposite. She remembered his greeting like it was yesterday.

_ “Hey.” _

The memory made her chuckle ever so slightly.

_ I wonder what their warrior names are now... _

The she-cat tilted her head back ever so slightly, closing her eyes again as she tried to listen to the world around her. Something about this decision felt right. Like this was what she was meant to do all along. She’d never believed that everything happens for a reason - she still didn’t - but what had happened to her… It led her to this moment. And this moment was one that made more sense than any other moment in her life. That had to mean something. And she was going to find out what that was.

“Dawnspirit?”

The voice startled her instantly, her eyes snapping open as she jerked her head in the direction of the sound. Ravenfur’s lithe black frame could be seen further down the northern shore, standing atop a large rock. How long had she been there?

She eventually hopped down to make her way over.

“What are you doing out here?” the black warrior continued.

Dawnspirit blinked at her calmly before meowing, “I could ask you the same thing.”

Ravenfur shrugged in response before settling down beside her tabby clanmate. “Fair enough.”

Dawnspirit continued to stare at her for a moment, surprised that she hadn’t pushed the issue further. Ravenfur was known for being confrontational. But she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so instead, she turned her gaze back to the lake and let her mind continue to wander.

“Is everything alright?” her clanmate meowed eventually, eyeing her curiously. She felt the black warriors eyes land on the cobwebs that Sandstone had applied. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she meowed. To her relief, Ravenfur seemed to accept that answer.

A few moments of silence passed between the cats, when her clanmate said the last thing she expected to hear.

“Sometimes I wish I could just run away. Get away from all this bullshit.”

Her ears pricked up instantly, but aside from that, she showed no signs of surprise.

“Why?” she meowed.

Ravenfur scoffed at the question, but the annoyance didn’t seem to be directed at her.

“Stonepelt. Shadowstep. That whole mess.”

“Mm…” Dawnspirit murmured, eyeing her friend sympathetically. She remembered her friend’s fight with the deputy like it was yesterday.

Ravenfur and Stonepelt had been best friends since they were the kits. The older they got, the closer they became. It was like Starclan had decided their love long before they were born. They were meant to be, and all of Riverclan could see it. In less than a moon after they received their warrior names, Ravenfur had announced her pregnancy. Everyone had been so happy for them, and Stonepelt had been absolutely elated. She’d never seen the tom express so much joy. Everything was perfect. Shadowkit was born, and the clan was thriving along with their family. Then the deputy died.

Grief struck every cat in Riverclan at the sudden loss. She’d never forget the sadness in Silverheart’s eyes when she heard her son had passed. It had happened so suddenly; the senior warrior had lost his footing in the river when the current was strong. His body had washed up on shore two days later.

The clan had needed strong leadership then more than ever, and Stonepelt had stepped up to fill that need. With every passing day he became more and more submersed in his duties as deputy, losing sight of his family along the way. There was nothing that Ravenfur hated more than admitting she needed someone. So when she did, and he turned his back on her… They’d never been the same since.

“Fuck him,” she sighed eventually, sounding both tired and bitter. “Anyways, you look like shit. Take care of yourself, alright? I’ll see you back at camp.”

The black she-cat rose to a stand and began to head back home. Dawnspirit didn’t know what came over her, it all happened so fast, but the words escaped her mouth before she had time to stop them.

“I’m leaving.”

She heard her clanmate’s footsteps come to a grinding halt as she stopped to turn around.

“What? Why?” she demanded.

“I’m just… I’m leaving. I wanted to tell somebody. So that Duskpelt doesn’t worry.”

She could feel Ravenfur’s eyes burning a hole through the back of her head, but didn’t turn to face her. Curiosity flushed through her as she awaited a response.

“Well shit. I didn’t mean to give you any ideas. Tallstar will be furious,” the black warrior scoffed, but made no movements towards her.

Dawnspirit turned her head ever so slightly, glancing at her clanmate out of the corner of her eye.

“You’re not going to try and stop me?”

“I mean, no. It’s your life. I think it’s a stupid fucking decision. But it’s your decision to make. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

She sat there unmoving for a moment, thinking over Ravenfur’s words. She’d never experienced anything like this before. It was unlike her to make bold decisions, and it was even more unlike her to communicate them with someone else. Every moment of the day from start to finish felt like a dream. Like it wasn’t really happening.

All she knew for certain was that Ravenfur was a good friend. She would miss her.

“Thank you, Raven,” she meowed quietly, still not meeting her gaze.

The silence hung in the air for a few more moments as the two she-cat’s shared their last conversation.

“Sure…” Ravenfur meowed, seeming to hesitate ever so slightly. “Take care of yourself.”

The sound of her clanmate climbing the shore towards the trees filled her ears, and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes once more.

_ And so it begins. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To further clarify the timeline of the story so far...  
> The story started with Lily (now Thistleheart) running away from her obsessive partner. She finds herself in The Dark Forest, aka Rootclan, who saves her and takes her in. The story then flashes forward many moons to present-day Rootclan. Blazingfrost (Rootclan's deputy) takes Littlepaw to the border during the late morning/early afternoon. During this same time, Flamepelt/Cinderstripe/Birchfeather of Oakclan decide to go on a midday adventure. They journey through the field towards The Dark Forest, and it is here that they run into Littlepaw. After being scared away by Blazingfrost, the parties go their separate ways. Littlepaw returns just to be scolded by Blazingfrost. Shadowfur and her apprentice Heatherpaw (Thistleheart's daughter) are there as well. Blazingfrost instructs Littlepaw and Heatherpaw to return to camp while her and Shadowfur talk. During this time, Flamepelt/Birchfeather/Cinderstripe are heading back to Oakclan. This is when Spruceheart is waiting at the entrance with Honeypool for his brother to return. Flamepelt heads inside and tries to share the days events with the rest of Oakclan, but none of them believe his story about The Dark Forest. Cinderstripe remains oddly quiet about the event. We learned from Blazingfrost previously that The Dark Forest has "marked" Cinderstripe. You will later learn what that means. Meanwhile in Riverclan, Ravenfur and Stonepelt have the argument by the river, resulting in Ravenfur storming off while Stonepelt brings fish back to camp for Thornwhisker. While Thornwhisker and Paleface argue, Dawnspirit is assaulted by an unknown Riverclan tom. She seeks help from Sandstone. This occurs at the same time as Flamepelt/Cinderstripe/Birchfeather's adventure, and Littlepaw's scolding. The story continues on, and it is now approaching night time. Back in Rootclan, the Shadow Walkers are hungry for blood, and Spiderstar learns of Littlepaw's betrayal. She sentences him to death. Blazingfrost saves him and runs him to the edge of The Dark Forest before telling him to run through the field towards Oakclan. Meanwhile, Willowpaw is venting to Lightgaze in Elderclan. Lightgaze then is summoned back to camp. Silvertongue, the medicine cat, informs him of a dream Starclan sent her. The dream implies many deaths due to an evil force. Elkstar seems to know what, or rather who the dream is referring to, but refuses to share with Lightgaze. Lightgaze leaves to go speak to "The Mother." Silvertongue falls back asleep to try to talk to Starclan more. Meanwhile, while all of this is going on, Ruggedstar is having a nightmare back in the Oakclan camp. This is when Ravenpelt, a loner who he invited to join Oakclan a long time ago, comforts him. During this time, Kali (Oakclan rogue) is sent the dream from Starclan. (Blazingfrost saving Littlepaw, Ruggedstar having a nightmare, Kali having her dream in the barn, and Lightgaze talking to Silvertongue/Elkstar happens all at the same time, at night time). Flash forward to the next morning. Spruceheart wakes Birchfeather up, and they go on a hunting patrol with Tigerblossom. During their argument about where to mark the border, Littlepaw (unknown to them) stumbles out of the field. He spent all night running miles and miles to get to Oakclan. He is battered and exhausted. Tigerblossom runs back to get Boulderface, who comes out to the field to help Littlepaw. They bring Littlepaw back to camp and give him to Brindlepelt. Spruceheart tries to make sense of everything, when Flamepelt returns and instantly recognizes Littlepaw's scent in the air. At this point in time, we do not know what happened to Blazingfrost from the night before when she rescued Littlepaw.  
> This current chapter is a continuation of the first day of the story, when Dawnspirit is assaulted and Ravenfur fights with Stonepelt. Technically this story has already taken place, but I am just now writing it in. After the day in this chapter is over, it will be the second day of the story (the day Littlepaw is found by the border of Oakclan).  
> Secondly, some geography clarification:  
> Riverclan is on an island (The Isle), surrounded by a river. South/east/north of the island (past the river) is sparse forest, which is more of their territory. On the west side of the island, the river becomes a large lake. You can look west across the lake and see Oakclan's forest (The Woodlands). Directly west of Oakclan is the field of tall grass (also where Thistleheart, aka Lily runs from her partner, and also where Littlepaw runs away from The Dark Forest towards Oakclan). The field of tall grass stops abruptly, and there is a small strip of flat ground between the field and The Dark Forest (aka Rootclan). Rootclan stretches all the way west until it hits the ocean. Just north of the The Dark Forest (Northwest of both Oakclan and Riverclan) is Elderclan, also known as The Realm. They extend heading north.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Littlepaw is taken back to Oakclan and Dawnspirit has begun her journey to reach the clans, all while Willowpaw begins training with her clanmates... But something unexpected happens. An emotion she's never felt before surfaces. How will she handle it? What else does the day hold in store for the apprentice, I wonder? Find out below...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: Read this while listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pGwlKjpdfc
> 
> Words in italics are thoughts/voices in a character's head.

If you look up at the sky and search for the stars, sometimes you will find them. No matter how many times you witness their beauty, the blessing they offer never fades. They are an eternal and never-ending gift to the world. But during the day the sun hides them away, keeping them safe until the moon awakens.

The six cats tread lightly through the forest, mindful of every paw they place. Everywhere they venture holds new wonders and magnificence. Now, at this point in time, the gentle lull of a nearby stream graces their ears. With every passing moment, their worries are swept away by its current. All pain is taken from them by the generous world around them. They are free.

Willowpaw parts her mouth ever so slightly as she runs, letting the crisp air dance along her tongue. It bites like ice cold water, flooding her senses until every inch of her is enveloped in ice. The burn of white starlight in her veins.

Just ahead of her is Lightgaze, leading the group onwards towards the clearing. His pelt shines like freshly fallen snow beneath the sunlight. It’s beautiful.

Not too far behind him is his sister, Frostbriar. She, too, is a sight to behold. She is the serene cloud that dots the horizon where the sun sets; both elegant, and graceful.

A few steps away are the brothers. She had never understood why Elkstar bestowed them with such haunting names. How could Starclan allow darkness to define anyone, regardless of what they’ve done?

Despite this, both Deathpaw and Blackpaw held their heads high, challenging the world to defeat them.

Lastly, Flameheart ran directly beside her. There was both a power and a grace to her stride. She exuded honor, and kindness. Willowpaw hoped to be just like her someday.

In no time at all they had arrived at the glades. Trees lined the perimeter of the open clearing, their thick trunks stretching up into the sky. Sunlight poured down from above onto the grass and Willowpaw purred when her paws met its warmth.

“It feels nice, doesn’t it?” Flameheart meowed, smiling kindly.

“Very,” she replied, hardly able to stifle her chirps of appreciation.

Lightgaze had made his way to the center with Deathpaw and Blackpaw hot on his heels. They were always so eager to begin training. Unlike the rest of the clan, they preferred aggression over peace. One thing she did respect Elkstar for was his diplomatic approach to keeping the forest safe. The Dark Forest, on the other hand, was not so kind to those who wandered within its depths. Perhaps the brothers would fare better there…

“Today we will be learning defense tactics.”

The deputy's voice caught her attention, drawing her towards the middle of the clearing.

“Now, as we have previously discussed, balance is important in all facets of life. This includes battle. Never forget the difference between courage, and arrogance.”

The tortoiseshell apprentice took a seat in between the two gray toms, pale green eyes locked on her mentor. This was her favorite part of every lesson. The words.

Anyone could learn to fight, but speaking? That came from the soul.

“Your mission as warriors is to bring honor to Elderclan, and defend The Realm against those who wish to bring it harm. It can be difficult to decipher the motives of others, at times…”

“Unless they attack you, of course,” Frostbriar chimed in playfully.

Willowpaw chuckled slightly and heard Flameheart do the same. She could tell Lightgaze was suppressing his annoyance at her interruption. He took immense pride in educating them and wanted no one to make light of the situation. After casting her a brief warning glance, he continued.

“If their motive is unjust and you find yourself in battle, fight with honor, and bravery. But there is no shame in acknowledging when you have lost. Believing you will win every time does not make it so. If your opponent bests you, accept the defeat graciously and return to the safety of the forest. Your life is more important than your pride. The Mother will handle whatever comes next.”

She watched in awe as the deputy demonstrated different escape tactics with the help of Frostbriar and Flameheart. They made it look so easy. Elderclan had been perfecting its fighting techniques since the dawn of time, and by the looks of it, they’d mastered the art quite well.

“Another thing to remember; your enemy will rarely be as forgiving as you. Be mindful of when you turn your back on them, if you turn your back on them at all,” the orange she-cat meowed, meeting every apprentice's gaze to make sure they were listening.

“You want to make an opening for yourself that gives you enough time to retreat,” Frostbriar added on.

Lightgaze nodded in agreement before fixing himself into a fighting stance. A moment later he had tackled Flameheart onto her side, his paw holding her neck in place.

“If you ever find yourself beneath your assailant, never, ever forget to protect your underbelly. Guarding it is of equal importance as guarding your throat. Flip onto your stomach as fast as possible before thrusting upwards to knock them off of you. If they have a tight grip, they won’t be so easy to get rid of. Be mindful of this,” the deputy meowed, still holding the orange tabby in place. “If you feel their grip is loose, thrust upwards as hard as possible. If you feel the grip is tight, thrust aggressively to the side. Land on top of them if possible, or, land hard enough to knock the air from their lungs. Flameheart…”

That was her queue to demonstrate.

The she-cat allowed her head to be held in place by his paw and instead focused on twisting her body around so that her stomach faced the ground. After tensing her muscles, she thrust upwards with her legs. Halfway through the push, though, she changed course, launching both herself and the deputy sideways. They hit the ground in unison, and Willowpaw couldn’t help but flinch.

“Now, get with your mentors and practice. Remember, protect your underbelly first. If you can’t, focus on throwing the enemy off as fast as possible. It’s all in the legs,” Lightgaze meowed, scanning the group of cats with his bright blue eyes. Deathpaw made his way towards Flameheart as Blackpaw bounded over to Frostbriar.

The tortoiseshell watched her clanmates pair up before fixing her attention back on the white tom. He padded towards her, the sunlight blanketing his pelt until he glowed like starlight. It seemed as though he moved in slow motion; a picturesque moment frozen in her memory for years to come. Suddenly it was just him and her in the vast openness, and her paws prickled with excitement.

“Are you ready?” he meowed, staring down at her fondly.

“Yes,” she replied, dipping her head ever so slightly before taking a step back. As she watched him ready his stance, she could hardly believe any of this was real. Sometimes she felt as though she were stepping out of time. Like she was floating through The Realm in a dream, and any second her eyes would snap open and it would all be over. Was this what true happiness felt like?

As she watched him lunge at her, it almost seemed as though he were drifting instead. She gasped aloud as she was thrown onto her back, the air escaping her lungs for just a moment. The length of his body pressed down on top of her more and more, making it harder to breathe with every passing moment.

_ Fuck, what am I doing? _

It was as though she’d forgotten the lesson entirely. His front paw met her cheek, pressing her face deeper into the cold earth beneath them. But she couldn’t move. She couldn’t think.

All the sounds around her faded into the background until they were nothing more but a dull humming. Her eyes began to flicker shut when suddenly all the pressure was gone. She gasped violently, trying to focus her gaze on his concerned face.

“Willowpaw, Willowpaw are you with me? Is everything alright?”

After a moment of grounding herself back in reality, she stared at him quietly, not moving a muscle. He stood over her breathlessly, brows creased in confusion.

“Are you okay?” he repeated more forcefully.

“Yes, yes I’m fine…”

The two cats remained there, entirely motionless. Their clanmates seem too wrapped up in their own lessons to notice. Suddenly she could feel the lack of distance between them more intensely than ever before. She blinked, entirely unsure of what to say or do. And he simply watched her. No words spoken; just silence.

Eventually he stepped backwards, discomfort and worry evident in every move he made. And all she could do was lie there.

“Willowpaw, you need to get up,” he meowed, this time with more authority. She rested there for just a moment longer before finally doing what he asked. After pulling herself to a stand, she stared at the grass beneath her paws mindlessly, sinking her claws into the warm earth.

“Sorry, I…” She paused before slowly dragging her gaze up to meet his own. “I don’t know what came over me. Can we try again?”

The deputy eyed her suspiciously, and for once in her life, she saw him speechless. He seemed to be debating over what to do next. She trusted him more than anyone in the entire forest; whatever he decided, she knew it would be for the best.

“Yes... Get ready.”

Relief flooded through her at his words. She nodded immediately before readying her stance, feeling much more prepared than she was last time. And just like that, she was back in reality.

The three apprentices continued on with their mentors for a while, further discussing varying techniques before implementing them until the execution was flawless. Time ticked by slowly but surely until the sun burned bright overhead. Willowpaw could hardly believe the day was half over.

“That’s enough for today. Let’s head back to camp. Catch any prey you might run across, and don’t forget to say your thanks to The Mother,” Lightgaze announced. The two warriors nodded in understanding before beckoning their apprentices to follow them. She watched as they faded into the trees, now shielded from her line of sight.

“Walk with me.”

Her ears pricked up as she jerked her head to face him. He left no room for debate and had already begun to walk off in the opposite direction of their clanmates. She wasted no time in bounding after him, slowing her pace once she caught up to him. They walked on in silence, and something in her gut told her to keep it that way.

The moments dragged on until she found herself biting her tongue to keep from asking where they were going.

Eventually they arrived at their destination, and her eyes instantly lit up with awe at the scene before her. A tree that stood as tall as a mountain rest in the center of a massive clearing, its roots fading in and out of the ground with endless brooks and streams coiling in between them. She tilted her head back until her gaze fell on the canopy above her.

Long branches stretched far and wide overhead, creating a dome over the glade. Creatures and plants draped themselves along the boughs, the faint flutter of a butterfly's wings catching her attention. Not a moment later she realized what she was looking at.

“The Mother,” she murmured breathlessly. She was so overcome by emotion that she felt the salty burn of tears pool in her eyes. Her whole life she had heard stories of her magnificence. But it wasn’t until now that she was able to experience it for herself.

“She only reveals herself to those who wish to find her,” the deputy meowed from her side, the deep rumble of his voice soothing her ever so slightly.

“But… I wasn’t looking for her. I don’t know what happened earlier. It was like…” Her voice trailed off as she spoke, seeming at a loss for words. He chuckled warmly, turning his head to look at her.

“The Mother speaks to the soul, not the mind. Tell her your troubles and she will provide the answers. It may not be the ones you were looking for. But trust in her, and she will never fail you.”

Willowpaw blinked in disbelief, overwhelmed by his words. She’d only ever dreamed of this moment, and here it was. It felt as though nothing could pull her gaze away from the tree. It was magnificence in its purest form.

Eventually the she-cat turned to reply, just to find that she was standing alone. Her ears perked up immediately as she swiftly turned around, scanning the trees for any sign of his white pelt. “Lightgaze?” she called nervously.

The silence persisted as she stood there, frozen in place.

“Lightgaze?” she called once more, taking a step in the direction they had come. But still, nothing.

She turned back to face the clearing, every inch of her body humming with pleasure. It vibrated her bones and hummed in her limbs until she went numb. She truly was free.

The apprentice began to make her way forward, leaping gracefully across every stream and river. She tasted the air and purred when the sweet scent of honey danced on her tongue. Bees buzzed peacefully nearby as they settled atop flowers, the gentle beat of a butterfly's wings catching her attention every few moments. If she didn’t know any better, she swore she saw the faint shine of stars overhead, blinking in between the green leaves that sheltered the clearing. She wondered to herself if this is what death might feel like.

Eventually she stood at the base of the tree; a mouse trembling before a lion. The apprentice took the final step forward before touching her nose against the rough bark. It felt as though she’d collided with ice. A bone chilling cold spread from her face to her chest, stretching all the way to the tip of her tail. She was fully conscious, yet entirely frozen in time. Held in place by the heart of the forest.

“Mother…” she breathed. No part of her was afraid. It felt as though she were meant to be here all along.

Time passed by and for a moment she wondered if it was a mistake. She could hear nothing, see nothing. The world continued on around her while she was locked in place. But then… Then she heard her.

_ “Willowpaw…” _

A chuckle intermingled with a gasp escaped her almost instantly as tears streamed down her face. The voice was so familiar. Suddenly she felt like a kit again, nuzzling deep into the warmth of her mother’s underbelly.

“Mother…” she whispered again. It all made sense now.

She was the mother of souls, both living and dead. Before any of them were brought into this world, she created them in her image, holding them close to her beating heart before passing them along to their birth mother. This was where it all began. This is where she created.

_ “I am here child. I have heard you calling. I thank my son for bringing you to me.” _

“How…”

_ “He has stood where you now stand many, many times. He saw in you what you could not see in yourself. The desire for the truth.” _

As she stood there, listening, she swore she could hear her heart beating. It was like she was cradled against The Mother’s bosom, ear pressed to her chest, ready to be lulled to sleep.

_ “You are experiencing love.” _

Willowpaw felt her brain hum with pleasure at the mention of the word. Love. The purest thing in all of existence. How had she known?

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she breathed, letting her tears flow freely. They dripped down her face and rolled to join the winding streams beneath her.

_ “Lightgaze is a part of you. I brought you to him, and him to you. Navigating the path I have set before you will not be easy.” _

“What does that mean?” she whispered in frustration. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what I’m feeling. He was like a father to me.”

_ “I cannot help you with that, daughter. Your stories are intertwined, but it is up to you what you make of them. Destiny is never set in stone. It is set in water, ever flowing, ever changing. Just like you.” _

For a few moments she stood in silence, not knowing what to say, yet knowing in her heart that she didn’t have to say anything. The Mother already knew. She was connected to her in every way imaginable; the truest vulnerability in life.

“We cannot be together. It isn’t meant to be.”

_ “You are wise beyond your years. It will serve you greatly in time.” _

Sadness consumed her heart entirely. And so it was true. Her destiny was to love the one thing she could never have.

“I will become a warrior soon. Time will pass; I will grow older. It won’t matter,” she gasped. But she knew she was just trying to convince herself; rejecting the pain of her inevitable future.

_ “I have taken you as far as I can. The rest is up to you. I believe in you… I have given you the strength you need for all things that lie ahead. You will do great things.” _

“Lightgaze…”

She sobbed against the tree until there was no air left in her lungs. Tears stained her fur and her claws sunk into the ground in anguish. She had been denying a part of herself for so long without even being fully aware. But now she was aware. And she must press on, denying until the day she dies. This was her destiny. The Mother spoke the truth into the blood that ran through her veins.

“Lightgaze…” she whispered one last time.

_ “Goodbye daughter.” _

And just like that, it was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendly reminder that Elderclan is the first and original clan. They have access to knowledge and power that the other clans do not due to The Realm (their territory). The forest is full of mystical plantlife and animals, and the heart of the forest is The Mother. She is where it all began. Every soul originates with her.  
> Willowpaw begins to develop new feelings for her mentor now that she is getting older and will soon be made a warrior. She is battling with how to handle them.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Littlepaw is being tended to back in Oakclan, and Willowpaw visits The Mother, Dawnspirit begins her journey after a good night's rest...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a characters head.

The journey around the lake was longer than she’d anticipated. It was hard to believe that she’d left just yesterday. Every hour felt like a week had gone by. She wondered if it was because she was traveling by herself with nothing and no one to distract her. It was just she, and she alone, facing an endless world.

Nervousness sat in her stomach like a rock. It was hard to believe she’d actually gone through with the decision. A small, kit-like part of her feared some type of punishment. But Tallstar would never risk the lives of his people just to forcibly bring her back to the island. Duskpelt, though…

An intense ache pierced her heart before spreading throughout her chest. She didn’t want to think about how her mother would react. She could still feel her pain, even though she was miles away from her. She could envision the sorrow that had spread across her face when Ravenfur had told her she’d left. As Dawnspirit looked across the lake towards Oakclan, she sighed, hoping that her mother would one day understand. With every step forward, she was getting further away from him. Further away from what he’d done to her. It was the one thing she felt she had control of. In her heart, she knew Duskpelt would never judge her for it.

The sun crept higher into the sky, warming the earth below much to her appreciation. The river was always so loud and intense, but the lake was peaceful. Water lapped gently at the shore, but aside from that, the surface was smooth and unchanging. An occasional toad found itself crossing her path while dragonflies buzzed overhead, eventually settling atop a patch of reeds. Everything felt both familiar, and unfamiliar. Like an expansion of everything she already knew.

She was sure she’d walked this path before, a long, long time ago. It led to the pools where the gatherings took place. She’d only been to the one gathering, but she faintly remembered the trail they’d taken to get there. 

The warrior pressed on hour after hour until the sun was blazing overhead. To her surprise, she was almost halfway there. Every muscle ached in a way that it never had before. But as much as she wanted to rest, she knew that the more she pushed herself, the sooner she’d arrive at her destination.

Once she arrived at the halfway mark, her stomach was rumbling so loudly that she was sure the cats of Oakclan could hear it. It was time to hunt.

She looked around the forest, blinking curiously. Even though Riverclan was further away from the other clans, they still had borders. They were not greedy. They took what they needed and nothing more. Plus, there was a sense of security and order that came with having a set territory. But now? The possibilities were limitless. She was tired of fish. It was time for something new.

Dead leaves crinkled beneath her paws as she briskly made her way between the trees, venturing deeper into the forest. She parted her mouth to taste the air, hoping to pick up a fresh scent, but what greeted her was far worse.

The stench hit her in waves, flooding her senses until nausea overcame her. She gagged instantly, backing away rapidly from the direction of the odor. It was foul. Never before had she smelled anything like it. It hung in the air like a heavy fog, drifting across the ground before suffocating all who crossed its path.

The logical part of her knew she should just walk away. Turn around and flee back to the safety of the lake. But the part of her that yearned for an escape, the part of her that wanted to let go, urged her onwards. She was battling against her own numbness. Anything to distract from the pain. Even death.

Before she even had a chance to process her decision, her legs carried her further into the forest, wasting no time in finding the source of the smell. It slowly became stronger and stronger, filling her lungs to the brim. Every second was spent fighting down waves of nausea. At one point it felt as though she could no longer handle it. But then she saw him.

He stood there in the center of a small clearing, his yellow eyes locked directly on her. Suddenly the rancid stench faded into the background until all that was left was silence. He continued to stare at her, completely and utterly unmoving from the moment she saw him. Like he had been waiting.

She could feel her muscles tense just beneath the skin, ready to launch her in the opposite direction while her heart pounded violently against her chest, begging to be set free. Every inch of her body felt ready to implode. It was as though the air were thickening, squeezing in on her from all sides until she burst.

“Hello,” she heard him meow. “My name is Asmodeus.”

For a moment she did not reply; she simply stared at the dark gray tom, unsure of what to do next. He still had not moved an inch. That was perhaps the most unsettling part of all of this. The way he stood there, waiting.

The moments ticked by as he stared at her, and she stared at him, until she finally opened her mouth to reply.

“I’m Dawn.”

Her words surprised even her. She didn’t know what possessed her to not share her full name. Perhaps a part of her wanted to reinvent every aspect of her life, including her name. Or maybe, just maybe, she subconsciously mirrored his own name. One word. One title. One truth.

“Nice to meet you, Dawn,” he rumbled. There was a rough, gravely tone to his voice. As though his throat were full of mud. Every word dripped out like thick molasses, and for some reason, she willingly threw herself towards it. 

“Who are you?” she meowed, feeling as though that was the only right thing to say. Feeling as though it was what he  _ wanted  _ her to say.

“I told you. I am Asmodeus.”

The brown and grey tabby continued to stare at him, feeling strangely frustrated by his reply.

“Where did you come from?” she asked.

“Nowhere.”

Her brows creased slightly in confusion.

_ Nowhere _ , she thought.  _ How can anyone come from nowhere _ .

“What about you?” Asmodeus suddenly asked. “Where did you come from?”

The question took her off guard entirely. She wasn’t sure if that made her a hypocrite, or a coward. But something in her gut told that under no circumstances should she tell him the truth.

“Nowhere,” she told him.

A smile crept onto his face, his yellow eyes holding her down as though one wrong move would be her last. Something about him was dangerous. There was an indescribable panic that she felt, his presence alone bringing her to the edge of nausea. That was when she remembered. The smell.

Her mouth parted slightly as the air seeped between her jaws, rolling across her tongue. The stench was subtle but had not faded entirely. Was it getting further away? Or had she merely become desensitized to it?

“I think I should go now,” she told him. She began to back up slowly, fully aware of every single step. Every single one of her senses was on high alert as she waited for his reply. But he said nothing. He simply watched; unmoving, unchanging. The only sign that she’d been here at all was the smile that lingered on his face. It burned into her mind, leaving a scar that she would never forget.

At last she began to turn her body towards the lake, hesitant to take her eyes off of the long haired tom, afraid that he would pounce the second she looked away. Once she felt she had gotten far enough from him, she turned her head towards the water. Her paws felt like stones beneath her. Suddenly she couldn’t move fast enough; like she was walking through a sea of mud.

“Goodbye, Dawn,” he meowed from behind her.

She turned to look at him one last time, heart pounding against her ribs more violently than ever before. His eyes held her in place for one moment longer, and then just like that, she was off. The wind sliced through her fur like blades of ice, whipping her face and burning her nose. In no time at all she reached the shore, gasping for air. Her sides heaved as she stood over the water, staring at her reflection.

“What the fuck,” she choked. Her pelt felt like it was on fire. She was practically trembling from shock as her mind reeled with questions. “What the actual fuck.”

The warrior buried her face in the water before pulling up, taking one last deep breath before beginning to calm herself. She swore she could still feel his eyes burning into her. But when she looked around there was no one there; just her and the trees with the sun blazing hot overhead.

After a moment she decided to wade into the water, enjoying its cool touch on her skin. Eventually she caught a fish, but still feeling spooked by the day’s events, she decided to carry it further down the shore. Once she felt she’d put enough distance between her and the tom, she began to eat. Nothing had ever tasted so delicious.

_ Maybe I’ll just stick to fish for the rest of my life. There are no weird cat’s in the water. I don’t think… _

She eyed the lake suspiciously for just a moment before shaking her head to dismiss the silly thought.

Who had that tom been? Had he been waiting for her? If so, why? Had he been following her? Or had it all simply been a dream?

Her head raced with a million questions a minute as she ate. Despite her desire for answers, she knew she would never get them. She didn’t want to be ruled by fear. He was a peculiar loner that she’d stumbled across; his mind was probably rotten from old age. It was nothing to worry about. Just a creepy experience; nothing more. Right?

Once she had finished she licked her mouth clean, taking a seat to briefly groom herself. The exhaustion she’d felt earlier in the day had been swept away by the surge of fear. But she was grateful; a second wind was just what she needed. And now, she had two different toms she desperately wanted to get away from.

She pressed onwards, not allowing herself to entertain any unsettling thoughts. He prodded at the back of her mind like a pesky tick. But she kept shaking him away, focusing on the journey ahead. Once she arrived at Oakclan, the gray tom wouldn’t matter. All that would matter was… Was... What?

(Begin listening to Fields and Pier by Avriel and the Sequoias:  [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1TQv6IlHY0 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1TQv6IlHY0) ) 

Eventually the sun began to dip down behind the trees in the distance, painting the sky with a million beautiful colors. Hints of pink and yellow dotted along the horizon, and the cloud’s glowed golden as they caught the last rays of daylight. She smiled at the sight.

With every step forward she became closer and closer to the one thing she’d dreamt of her whole life. Her mind ventured further than her feet could carry her, and a part of her felt she was already curled up in the safety of the Oakclan camp. What did it look like? Were Bearclaw and Graywolf still alive? Was Ruggedstar truly as accepting of outsiders as she’d been told?

Her body could hardly handle the excitement. Every inch of her was filled with an indescribable warmth as she sprinted alongside the lake. The trees loomed beside her, casting long shadows across the damp earth underneath. She stretched her long limbs out as far as they would go, allowing herself to run with the wind, swept away into the evening sky that told stories of hope, and freedom.

_ I’m coming, world. I’m coming. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prologue/Chapter 1: A glimpse into the past, many moons ago, where Lily escapes her partner and is rescued by Rootclan.  
> Day 1: Blazingfrost of Rootclan takes Littlepaw on border patrol where they run into Cinderstripe/Flamepelt/Birchfeather. Ravenfur of Riverclan fights with Stonepelt, and shortly after, Sandstone learns of Dawnspirit being sexually assaulted. Dawnspirit leaves the camp and runs to the western shore to look out over the lake. She speaks to Ravenfur and informs her she will be leaving. Shortly after, she begins her journey towards the clans. Willowpaw of Elderclan vents to Lightgaze about the state of their clan. That evening, of the same day... Littlepaw of Rootclan is sentenced to death by Spiderstar for his betrayal. Blazingfrost saves him and takes him to the eastern border, telling him to run through the tall grass until he reaches Oakclan. Ruggedstar of Oakclan has a nightmare in which he remembers a long lost love, and Ravenpelt comforts him. Lightgaze of Elderclan speaks to Elkstar and Silvertongue about her dream of death and an evil presence coming to the forest. Kali, the Oakclan rogue, is sent a similar nightmare by Starclan.  
> Day 2: Spruceheart, Birchfeather, and Tigerblossom of Oakclan are sent on a border patrol by Goldenfang. Littlepaw stumbles out of the tall grass, exhausted from his journey. He spent all night running to get to Oakclan. Boulderface heads to the border to tend to him before taking him back to camp. Brindlepelt looks after Littlepaw while discussing with the leaders what to do next. Spruceheart chats with Tigerblossom, and afterwards, Flamepelt returns to camp. He instantly recognizes Littlepaw's scent. Meanwhile, Willowpaw of Elderclan goes training with Lightgaze and the other apprentices/mentors. She then goes to visit The Mother. After talking to Ravenfur the day before, Dawnspirit of Riverclan began her journey before getting a good night's rest. Today, she continues on that journey towards the clans, meeting the unfamiliar and unsettling Asmodeus along the way.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lightpaw is curled up with Brindlepelt back in Oakclan, Willowpaw is speaking to The Mother back in Elderclan, and Dawnspirit continues on her journey towards Oakclan... Meanwhile, Duskpelt of Riverclan deals with the aftermath of her daughter's disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices within a character's head.  
> Silverheart is an elder and is mother to Stonepelt (deputy) and Mistyfoot (warrior). She had them in the same litter. She later came to have Silverstorm.  
> Duskpelt is Dawnspirit's mother.  
> Darkspeckle is Duskpelt's mother. Darkspeckle is Tawnyowl (warrior) and Viperstrike’s (warrior) mother. Darkspeckle is Softpaw’s mother.  
> Tallstar and Cowpatch (queen) are brother and sister.  
> Pantherclaw and Ravenfur are brother and sister. They are Rosetail’s older siblings. They are also Crowpaw’s older siblings.  
> Whitefoot is Boulderfur's older brother.

Duskpelt sat just outside of the warrior's den, her soft yellow eyes heavy with sadness. Mistyfoot was at her side, tail placed along her back in an attempt to comfort her. It was a sad day in Riverclan.

Ravenfur had returned from a hunt the day before to deliver the news. She still couldn’t believe it. Self-loathing thoughts plagued her mind as she wondered where she went wrong. The weight of not knowing sat in her stomach like a pit. And while she was grateful to have such caring clanmates, all she wanted was to be left alone.

“It’s not your fault,” Mistyfoot meowed from beside her, eyeing her sympathetically. She was always so kind. “I’m sure she had her reasons.”

“Remember; she is strong, like you. She’ll be just fine,” Silverheart, Mistyfoot’s mother, added on. There was a soothing tone to the elder’s voice; the kind of voice that made Duskpelt feel as though she could tell her anything.

“We’re here for you,” Silverstorm meowed encouragingly. The grey and white she-cat was both passionate and opinionated, but at the end of the day, she was the most loyal friend Duskpelt could’ve asked for.

Last but not least, Cowpatch sat slightly further away from the group, but she could tell that the queen was trying to show her support despite her lack of words. She, like her brother Tallstar, was more reserved. But her heart was pure, and good.

“Thank you all, truly, but I promise I’m fine,” Duskpelt meowed to them, putting on a reassuring smile. The clan didn’t need to worry about her. She would deal with her sorrow in her own time. “Cowpatch,” she continued, turning to meet the black and white queen’s gaze, “how are your kits doing?”

“They’re doing well... Thank you.”

Duskpelt took notice of the faint twinkle in her eye at the mention of her newborns. It was the circle of life; when cat’s were lost, new ones stepped in to take their place.

“That’s wonderful. They’ll be opening their eyes any day now,” Mistyfoot meowed, encouraging the reserved queen with a sweet smile.

“I’ll never forget how excited I was to get pregnant with you and your brother,” Silverheart began. “You and Stonepelt… So rambunctious and energetic as kits. You would have Blackfang laughing until his sides hurt.”

Mistyfoot smiled warmly at the distant memory.

“And you…” the gray elder continued, now turning to look at Silverstorm. “You were the treasure I never expected. I was sure I’d never get pregnant again. Stonepelt and Misty were already a miracle. And then you happened… How lucky am I?”

Silverstorm chuckled amusedly in response to her mother. Duskpelt knew that Silverstorm would never admit it, but her mother’s words blessed her to her very core.

She then looked around the clearing for her own mother, Darkspeckle, before remembering that Stonepelt had sent her on a border patrol.

Darkspeckle was nothing like Silverheart. She provided kits for the clan when necessary, and nothing more. ‘Motherly instincts’ had been lost on her entirely. But, they were all lucky to have her. She was a fearsome and admirable warrior; one of the most respected in all the clan.

As though the universe had read her mind, a black form flickered in the corner of her eye. She turned to watch Pantherclaw bounding into the clearing, Longstride and Darkspeckle following just behind him. They were back.

Stonepelt emerged from the leader’s den almost instantly to go and meet them. Duskpelt saw Mistyfoot perk up at the sight of her brother.

The gray tom had been speaking with Tallstar all morning, presumably about how to handle her daughter leaving the clan. They were both riled up about it, but to her confusion, Stonepelt seemed more angry than anything. Tallstar was mad as well, but had so far remained silent on the issue. She was sure that would change soon.

“Well?” Stonepelt demanded.

“Everything is clear.” Darkspeckle was the first to answer, taking a few steps forward until she stood just left of Pantherclaw. The brown and grey tabby was large for a she-cat but paled in comparison to the black tom’s size.

“We found Dawnspirit’s scent along the western border. It continued northwest around the lake,” Pantherclaw growled. 

She watched as Stonepelt’s brows creased, as though he were deep in thought. He was frustrated. It seemed like he wanted to take action but knew that nothing could be done.

“What does Tallstar plan to do about this coward?” the black warrior demanded.

Stonepelt scowled at him but refused to discuss the issue. “Enough. Do not speak ill of our clanmate; especially in front of her mother. If you have concerns about Dawnspirit, keep them to yourself.”

Duskpelt dipped her head respectfully at the deputy’s words, and he offered a brisk nod of acknowledgment in return.

Pantherclaw’s mouth curled in the beginning of a snarl, his pale yellow eyes flashing threateningly as he met the deputy’s gaze. The warrior hated many things, but above all else, he hated being challenged. A respect for authority did not run through his veins. But Stonepelt didn’t back down. He met his clanmates gaze steadily, jaw set in resolution.

Beside her, Mistyfoot took a step forward, worry plastered across her face. She would rush to fight alongside her brother in a heartbeat, and all of the she-cats in Riverclan would back her up. But a fight was the last thing they needed.

“What Dawnspirit did was wrong,” Duskpelt meowed, rising to a stand before walking towards Pantherclaw. She met his gaze with her head held high, confident in her words, but her eyes were sympathetic. “I understand your anger. We are all confused, and hurt. But she is no coward.”

By this point, the disruption had caught the attention of everyone in the clan. While they had all talked about Dawnspirit’s betrayal in private, there had been no open, public discussion. But she knew it was bound to happen eventually. And she would face them with honesty, and an open mind. No fear, no hate. Just the truth.

“Maybe not a coward, but a traitor,” Darkspeckle meowed cooly, and Duskpelt couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment. Dawnspirit was her blood. How could she turn against her?

“Perhaps she’s both,” Pantherclaw hissed.

“Perhaps you need to mind your business,” Silverstorm retorted, pushing her way into the debate. Duskpelt knew that her friend had her thoughts about her daughter leaving. But it didn’t stop her from having her back and defending her. She was a great friend.

Right as she opened her mouth to reply, a familiar voice boomed from the direction of the leader’s den. “I’ve heard enough.”

Tallstar made his way out into the clearing followed by Whitefoot and Boulderfur. They were two of the most respected senior warriors in the clan; Tallstar sought their council often.

The black and white leader shouldered his way to stand beside his deputy, casting a stern glare around the clearing as though daring someone to challenge him. “I’m sure that you’ve all heard of what happened recently. For those of you who haven’t; Dawnspirit has left Riverclan.”

A general shuffling of paws and shocked whispers rose up around the clearing at his announcement.

“This is a confusing time for all of us, but what’s done is done. She has made her decision. I will not stand for the public slandering of her name any longer.”

Duskpelt felt gratitude spread from her nose to the tip of her tail, warming her entire body. She blinked appreciatively at him. It was comforting to know that she lived under a leader with honor, and values. Something told her that the cats of The Dark Forest were not as forgiving.

“And why should we stop?” The voice came from Tigerheart, his orange tabby pelt blazing like fire beneath the sunlight. He stood at the side of the clearing, eyes narrowed to slits. “She has betrayed us all. If she is not loyal to Riverclan, then I am not loyal to her.”

Murmurs of agreement began to rise up, but many remained calm, or indifferent.

“As Tallstar said, nothing can be done. I’m sure that if she were standing with us right now, she would have her reasons. Let’s not pretend to know what those reasons are,” Boulderfur meowed from behind Tallstar.

“And need I remind you all that she has shown the clan nothing but loyalty. We shouldn’t be presumptuous; there is no proof that she has betrayed us,” Silverheart added. Duskpelt felt relief that at least one elder was on her side. She highly doubted Thornwhisker or Paleface would be as diplomatic.

Sure enough, a quick glance towards the elder’s den revealed Paleface sitting in its entrance, a scowl plastered across her face. “We don’t need proof. She left. That’s proof enough,” she croaked.

“If you don’t stand with Riverclan, then you are against Riverclan,” Darkspeckle hissed in agreement.

“Who is to say she wouldn’t stand with us? Who is to say she’ll never come back? None of us know anything for sure.” The voice came from Silverstorm this time.

Duskpelt watched as arguments broke out around the entire clearing, Tallstar and Stonepelt at its center, casting one another frustrated looks. She could practically read their minds.

_ “What do we do now?” _

The two leaders allowed the debates to continue for several more moments, but at last, enough was enough. Tallstar tilted his head back in an earsplitting yowl, demanding silence from the entire clan.

“Not another word of this. We will not become a clan of quarreling loners. We are one warrior weaker now. That means we must come together stronger than ever. She left the clan in body; it is up to you whether you leave it in spirit. As Darkspeckle so eloquently stated,” he growled, turning to face the dark tabby, “If you do not stand with us, then you are against us. And I, leader of Riverclan, acknowledge Dawnspirit’s right to free will. So what will it be? Will you allow civil war or will you stand with me, united as one?”

Silence spread across the clearing as they watched him speak, some grudgingly, some willingly. But at the end of the day they all agreed he was right about at least one thing; the clan comes first.

Pantherclaw scoffed in disbelief before shouldering his way past Longstride. Darkspeckle and Tigerheart remained silent but exchanged a knowing glance with one another before walking off. The rest of the clan split up slowly but surely, breaking off into smaller groups that were more private.

“If I could claw Pantherclaw’s ears off and get away with it, I probably would,” Silverstorm grumbled.

The she-cat’s around her began to return to their original chatter, their voices dropping to a whisper whenever her daughter’s name was mentioned. But all of the talk around her slowly faded into the background as the seconds ticked by.

“Excuse me,” she meowed to them respectfully before making her way over to the leader. He was speaking in a circle with the deputy, Whitefoot, and Boulderfur. Whitefoot dipped his head in greeting upon her approach, and she swiftly returned the favor.

“I apologize for interrupting. I just wanted to say thank you, for defending my daughter. All of you,” the she-cat meowed. It was hard watching the one person you love most in the world have everyone turn on them. Any friend of her daughter was a friend of hers. Same went for her enemies.

She could feel Tallstar’s pale yellow eyes resting on her as he listened patiently, nodding ever so slightly in understanding once she had finished.

“You are welcome,” he replied.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Whitefoot rumbled, blinking at her sympathetically.

It was weird to hear it phrased like that; as though her daughter had died. In a weird way, it was like she had. Duskpelt had no plans to leave Riverclan in her lifetime, so unless Dawnspirit one day returned, she likely would never see her daughter again. The thought alone made her nauseous. But as Tallstar said, the clan needed to be strong now more than ever. So that is what she would do.

“Thank you, Whitefoot.”

The grey and white tom nodded politely in response.

“Is there anything I can do?” she continued.

“Take the rest of the day off and relax. I’ll have Rosetail bring you some fresh kill later,” Stonepelt meowed. His eyes were warm, and genuine. But she was selfless, and kind. A part of her felt responsible for her daughter’s actions and wanted to make up for it.

“You don’t have to-”

“I know,” he cut her off.

She stared at him for a moment before smiling, letting out a soft sigh of submission. “Well then, if you need me, I’ll be in the warriors den. Thank you again, Tallstar,” Duskpelt meowed, meeting the leader’s gaze one last time before dipping her head and turning around. Everything about the day from start to finish had felt weird. Like she was living in someone else’s body, and all the day’s events were merely a dream.

Her daughter was gone, and a part of her had gone with her. She would never truly be whole again.

The sunlight had warmed her pelt enough to the point where she felt mildly hot, and suddenly taking a nap in the shade sounded quite nice. The warrior’s den was directly to the right of the medicine hollow; a small cave with walls made of clay, buried just beneath the roots of a large tree. As she approached, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Sandstone sat just outside, eyes locked on Tallstar’s group.

Duskpelt had noticed her earlier standing towards the back of the crowd, all by herself. She hadn’t thought anything of it then, but now suspicion tingled along her spine.

When Sandstone finally took notice of her staring, she met her gaze steadily, without saying a word. And then just like that, she was gone. The cream colored medicine cat disappeared back into the hollow, leaving Duskpelt in the clearing by herself.

It was odd to her that Sandstone had nothing to say about Dawnspirit’s disappearance. While she knew that the medicine cat often kept to herself, it was her duty to provide guidance. Maybe Starclan had shared something with her, and she felt that it wasn’t the right time to share. Or maybe she knew something in general, and didn’t  _ want  _ to share. Duskpelt blinked calmly, not allowing herself to overthink the situation any further. She was better than that. And if Sandstone had information, she trusted that the truth would come out in time. She would share when she was ready.

The tabby warrior walked into the den, wasting no time in curling up in her nest. Right as she began to fall asleep, the faint sound of someone approaching could be heard. Her eyes flickered open just in time to see Whitefoot turning around to walk away.

“Is everything alright?” she asked curiously.

The grey and white tom paused, hesitating every so slightly before turning to face her again. His gaze was concerned and sympathetic, with a hint of guilt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. We can talk later; you should sleep.”

She chuckled ever so slightly at his politeness. “You’re fine, Whitefoot. What can I help you with?”

His orange eyes watched her in the darkness for a moment, as though he were uncertain about what came next. But to her relief, he parted his jaws and began to speak.

“I know that the answer is likely no, but I must ask… Did Dawnspirit share with you why she left?”

The she-cat wasn’t surprised by his question. In fact, she suspected that it was the question on everybody’s mind. But the one thing that did surprise her was that he was the one to ask the question first.

Whitefoot was not confrontational; the only time he offered his opinion was to diffuse a tense situation amongst the clan. His diplomacy and level-headedness had helped the clan immensely over the years. The one reason that Tallstar had not appointed him as the new deputy was that he could be  _ too  _ passive. Patience was a virtue, but everything should have limits.

“No, she didn’t,” she replied honestly. “Trust me, I want answers more than you know. But what’s done is done. We must trust Starclan to guide her now.”

Whitefoot dipped his head respectfully, seeming to have anticipated her response. “I feel that if the clan was given a reason as to why she did what she did, they wouldn’t be so angry with her. It is easy to hate the things you do not understand.”

“Wise words,” she meowed, smiling warmly.

“Sleep well, Duskpelt. Rosetail will bring the fresh kill shortly.”

“Thank you, Whitefoot.”

The tom nodded graciously before heading back out into the clearing.

Duskpelt tucked her feet more tightly under her body, fighting the urge to let her mind wander off to dark places. The gentle rustling of trees swaying overhead helped lull her to sleep, her eyes flickering shut as exhaustion consumed her.

_ I miss you, sweet daughter. May Starclan light your path. _


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last we saw of Oakclan, Littlepaw was curled up in the nursery with Brindlepelt... Ruggedstar, Goldenfang, and Boulderface discussed what to do just outside the nursery... and Spruceheart had just finished a conversation with Tigerblossom when Flamepelt suddenly returned from a patrol... "Why the hell does it smell like Littlepaw in here?!"
> 
> This chapter begins shortly before Flamepelt's arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are voices/thoughts within a character's head.  
> Ruggedstar is the leader (very large, golden, long-haired Maine coon), Goldenfang is the deputy (small, pale calico, medium-haired), Boulderface is the medicine cat (average size, gray fur, long-haired Maine coon)  
> Brindlepelt is a queen (small, calico/tortoiseshell mix, long-haired), her mate is a senior warrior named Graywolf (large, gray and white, long-haired Maine coon). Their litters together were Ruggedstar and Mountainback (extremely large, golden, long-haired Maine coons), Spruceheart and Birchfeather (large, brown tabbys, long-haired Maine coons), and Goldenpaw (small to medium size, golden, long-haired Maine coon).  
> Graywolf is Bearclaw's brother (Bearclaw is a large, brown tabby, long-haired Maine coon).  
> Mountainback (Ruggedstar's brother) is father to Stoneclaw and Smokepelt (gray, long-haired), and their mother is Cloudfur. Mountainback is also father to Boulderface and Honeypool (small, gray, brown, and white tabby, long-haired), and their mother is Cloudfur.  
> Cloudfur (medium size, gray, long-haired) alternates between being a queen and a warrior. She is also mother to Rosethorn (medium size, dark gray tabby, long-haired) and Lilytongue (medium size, light gray tabby, long-haired). Their father is not Mountainback; their father is deceased. They are half-sisters to Stoneclaw/Smokepelt, and Boulderface/Honeypool.  
> Ravenpelt (medium size, black, short-haired) was originally a loner that was brought to Oakclan by Ruggedstar.  
> Willowfire (large, bright orange, medium-haired) was originally a Shadow Walker (aka a warrior of Rootclan) that was banished from The Dark Forest. She was brought to Oakclan by Ruggedstar. Her relations and history are unknown at this point in time.  
> Braveheart (large, bright orange tabby, long-haired) is father to Goldenfang and her sister ______ (to be revealed later), and their mother is Honeypatch. Braveheart is also father to Flamepelt (medium size, bright orange tabby, long-haired), and his mother is Honeypatch. Braveheart is also father to Tigerblossom (small to medium size, calico, medium-haired) and Cinderstripe (medium size, bright orange tabby, long-haired), and their mother is Honeypatch. Braveheart is also father to Berrypaw (small, calico, medium-haired), and her mother is Honeypatch.  
> Honeypatch is a queen (medium size, calico, medium-haired).

So much had happened in such a short time, but the leader of Oakclan wanted to take it all in stride. 

His job as leader was to remain calm and handle every challenge with unwavering confidence. Any concerns, any theories, were best hidden away or discussed in private. And right now? Privacy was of the utmost importance. But as he’d learned many times, the truth always comes out eventually.

“You said he came from the field?” Goldenfang meowed.

Boulderface nodded in response.

They had formed a tight circle just outside the nursery, eyeing the small kitten with both confusion, and worry. The same thought seemed to be shared amongst them without needing to be said out loud. But the deputy said it out loud anyways.

“We have to be careful. He could be one of  _ them _ ,” the pale calico continued, her yellow, snake-like eyes narrowed to slits as she stared into the nursery.

Brindlepelt seemed uncomfortable with the accusation but had nothing to say on the matter. She simply stared down at the bundle of fur at her side, occasionally rasping her tongue along his head.

“Goldenfang is right,” the gray medicine cat began. “We shouldn’t take any risks. We don’t know who he is, or who might be looking for him.”

“Precisely. That also means that he could be entirely harmless, and alone. Come now Boulderface, don’t tell me you’re afraid of a kitten?” Ruggedstar rumbled, a flicker of mischief in his eyes.

“No,” Boulderface replied coolly. “I’m afraid of what keeping a complete stranger in the camp might mean for the clan. A stranger that seemed to be afraid, and running from something. What if that thing followed him here?”

“Then what might you suggest?” Ruggedstar stared down at the medicine cat, a chilling calm to his tone. He wanted Boulderface to say it out loud. The medicine cat could tiptoe around what he was trying to say, he could sugarcoat it all he wanted, but at the end of the day his words only meant one thing; leaving a kitten alone to fend for itself.

Boulderface met his gaze, but the subtle wavering of his eyes gave him away. He didn’t want to say it out loud. And understandably so.

“Look, I don’t like it any more than you do,” he hissed irritably. The hair on his back had spiked ever so slightly as his tail tip began to twitch. “But he isn’t our responsibility.”

“No, he isn’t. But we can choose for him to be. And if you have an issue with that, you’re welcome to leave. Oakclan doesn’t need cowards.”

Ruggedstar’s words took even Brindlepelt aback, whose gentle eyes flickered between the two toms nervously. The tension between them was tangible. It felt as though the air had become 10 degrees hotter, the warmth rolling off of Ruggedstar’s pelt in waves. He stared down at the medicine cat who stood beneath his shadow, eyes blazing.

No words were spoken for several moments, when Goldenfang suddenly broke the silence.

“There’s no point in bickering about what could happen. We’ll decide when the time comes. For now, I doubt any of you would be willing to take the kitten and leave them at the border. Not today. I say the kitten stays. At least until he’s recovered.”

“Yes, I agree,” Brindlepelt murmured worriedly. Her face was scrunched up from stress; she hated conflict. “It would be cruel to leave him by himself. I have no problem taking care of him for as long as needed.”

Boulderface watched the calico queen with what seemed to be both anger and shock. Like he couldn’t believe what he had heard. She met his gaze knowingly, and for a moment it seemed as though they both were aware of something, but didn’t want to share what it was.

The deputy’s eyes flicked back and forth between them curiously. “What?” she demanded.

The queen and medicine cat seemed to hesitate, like they were afraid of what might happen if they spoke. Ruggedstar watched them with a stern expression, but otherwise said nothing.

“Well, spit it out already!” Goldenfang hissed.

Boulderface glared at the two leader’s. It was obvious that he didn’t want to share what he knew. But luckily for him,  _ he  _ wouldn’t have to.

“Why the hell does it smell like Littlepaw in here?!”

The exclamation came from behind them, and almost in unison, the four cats whipped around to watch as Flamepelt bounded into camp.

“Littlepaw?” the leader asked immediately.

Ruggedstar’s gaze landed on the small bundle of fur curled up beside Brindlepelt, his eyes igniting with an emotion that none of them had seen before.

Ravenpelt had been observing from a distance, a brief sadness flickering across her face as she watched his reaction.  _ She  _ knew what the emotion was. She’d seen it many times.

_ Empathy _ .

The black she-cat rose to a stand, stepping out of the shadows and into the sunlight that bathed the clearing. She was ready to intervene if need be.

“Yeah!” Flamepelt exclaimed, wasting no time in rushing over to the nursery. “Holy shit, it’s really him!” he gasped, mouth gaping in awe as he stared into the den. It seemed as though everyone who bore witness to the event was in a mild state of shock.

“So you know him?” Boulderface demanded, keeping his tone hushed so as to prevent from drawing too much attention.

“Yeah! I mean... I met him just outside of The Dark Forest!” the orange tabby replied at normal volume.

Shocked gasps and wails instantly arose from around the clearing; the exact thing that they didn’t want to happen.

“Did you say The Dark Forest?” Rosethorn exclaimed in horror, drawing the attention of her clanmates.

“That’s impossible,” Bearclaw rumbled.

“So it’s true,” Goldenfang growled in disbelief, recalling the day before when he’d gallantly shared his story of meeting a Shadow Walker. “Why in the name of Starclan did you talk to someone from The Dark Forest?”

Questions and accusations continued to be thrown around the camp from every direction, the occasional wail of fear rising up from the crowd. Things had spiraled out of control so quickly.

“Can’t you keep your loud mouth shut for 5 seconds?” Boulderface hissed at the orange warrior.

While everyone bickered outside, Littlepaw began to shift inside the nursery. The commotion had stirred him from his sleep. At first he had no idea where he was. Panic began to set in ever so slightly, his eyes widening until they were two blue, moon-sized orbs in the darkness of the den.

“There, there little one.”   
The voice startled him, causing him to jerk upwards, but what startled him even more was the sensation of a tail curling around him. Whoever it belonged to pulled him closer into the comfort of their chest. There was something so warm and inviting about it that he calmed down almost instantly. He didn’t know  _ who  _ this person was, he didn’t know  _ where  _ he was; all he knew was that their fur smelled of honey and sunshine, and it was the most safe he’d ever felt in his entire life.

“Did you know that he was from The Dark Forest?” Goldenfang asked, eyes locked on Boulderface.

He met her gaze steadily, allowing a moment of silence to be shared between them before replying. “Yes.”

“And you brought him back here?!” The deputy’s hackles raised as she unsheathed her claws. “You were the one lecturing us about the dangers of letting him stay!”

“He needed to recover,” he growled defensively. “I didn’t mean let him stay permanently. I didn’t even say let him stay for long. He needed help, and my duty as a medicine cat is to do just that.”

Goldenfang’s mind flickered back to the knowing look that Boulderface and Brindlepelt had shared with one another a while ago. 

“You knew too?” she snapped at the queen.

Brindlepelt looked up from the kit to meet the deputy’s gaze, her expression guilty, and sad. That was answer enough. “I tasted it on him when I started to clean him… He was so dirty… It had masked his scent.”

“Why didn’t you say anything when you realized?”

The queen blinked at her before fixing her gaze on the kit. Her eyes brimmed with compassion. “Because I knew the clan wouldn’t accept him.”

“Well it’s a little late for that.” Goldenfang could hardly believe what she was hearing. She didn’t want the kit in harm’s way - none of them did - but protecting someone they now knew, for a fact, was a Shadow Walker? That. That was different.

Nobody knew much of The Dark Forest. But what they did know was that the ones who lived within its depths hated toms. And not only was Littlepaw a tom, but he was a small, ineffective one at that. So either everything they thought they knew was wrong, or the kitten was not nearly as innocent as he seemed.

Nearby she could hear Ruggedstar talking to the rest of the clan in an attempt to dissuade them.

“Calm yourselves,” he began. “We will deal with this. Fear is not a good look for you darling.” In the end he was addressing Rosethorn specifically, who wore a slight pout.

“There is no way I’m allowing that piece of filth to stay in this camp,” Moutainback snarled; his brother may be the leader, but he would not hesitate to challenge him.

“I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter,” Ruggedstar replied with mock sympathy. He stood tall in the middle of the clearing, the sun bathing his pelt to reveal every shade of gold. It shimmered hypnotically; the perfect lion’s mane to grace the king of the forest.

“We’ll see about that.”

It all happened so fast. Mountainback threw his body towards the nursery at full speed, kicking up dust with his massive paws. He was determined to reach the kitten, claws unsheathed in preparation for resistance. But Ruggedstar was faster.

The golden leader lunged forward, hooking his claws deep into his brother’s right flank. Mountainback snarled in pain as Ruggedstar drew back aggressively, pulling him onto his side. His body hit the ground like a boulder, shaking the earth to its very core. Blood sprayed through the air before landing on the leader’s golden pelt, staining it a crimson red beneath the sunlight.

“Stand down, Mountainback,” Ruggedstar rumbled. A growl made its way up his throat, its vibrations felt by all those in the clearing. His jaws were parted, lips curled just enough to reveal hungry teeth. 

Goldenfang, Graywolf, and even Boulderface had formed a barrier between Mountainback and the nursery. The dark tabby warrior was a fierce adversary. If he set his mind to something, it would take more than one or two warriors to stop him. They all paled in comparison to his size. He had been given his name for a reason.

Unfortunately for him, though, his brother was Ruggedstar.

While Ruggedstar was smaller, he wasn’t too far behind in size. Just large enough to engage him in a fair fight when necessary.

“Make me,” Mountainback spat after throwing himself to a stand, the muscles in his face contorting into a venomous snarl.

“Brother, we do not want to fight you. But I will not let you lay a claw on Brindlepelt. I urge you to reconsider,” Graywolf meowed forcefully from in between the deputy and the medicine cat. He was quite old for a warrior, but his prowess in battle was renowned, and nothing would stop him from protecting his mate, Brindlepelt.

“Speak for yourself. I’d love to fight him!”

The words came from Ruggedstar, who caught Mountainback’s attention again in no time.

“But…” the leader continued. “Now is not the time. Let’s take a rain check, shall we?”

Virtually every cat of Oakclan had gathered in the clearing by now, watching the events unfold with both eager and inquisitive eyes. While some portrayed anger, or fear, they all had one thing in common; their love for drama.

Many sat back and watched from a distance, unsure of what to do, while others looked like they wanted to speak up, but remained silent. Flamepelt had shifted away from the nursery once the commotion had broken out, and was now standing on the sidelines with worry lathering his expression. Spruceheart, Birchfeather, Stoneclaw, and Ravenpelt stood closer to the center, muscles tense and ready to be put to use if things got ugly. Birchfeather had already unsheathed his claws, ready to tear Mountainback to pieces if he made any advances on Littlepaw or his mother. Cinderstripe was uncharacteristically quiet, as was Smokepelt, and the more reserved cats - Tigerblossom, Honeypool, and Honeypatch - watched from afar. They all knew it was best to not come between the two quarreling brother’s. All it would take would be a single blow to the head from one of their massive paw’s, and you’d be out like a light.

“How dare you allow this heathen stay in our camp?” Mountainback growled angrily. “One Dark Forest reject is bad enough. But two?”

“Fuck you,” Willowfire snarled, instantly unsheathing her claws, looking ready to pounce. She, like Littlepaw, had escaped. Or rather, been banished. The Dark Forest had taken most of her memories, but she remembered snippets here and there. Her leaving The Dark Forest hadn’t been by choice. She knew that much.

A border patrol had found her hunting in Oakclan territory. She’d put up a ferocious fight despite the odds being wildly against her. Ruggedstar had seen something in her that day and had invited her to join the clan. He was a firm believer that nobody’s past should permanently define their future. He of all people understood that.

“Only a weakling would murder a kitten,” the brazen she cat continued. Her pelt was bright orange. She walked through fire everywhere she went, leaving a trail of flames in her wake.

“Are you deaf, Shadow Walker? I never said a word about murder,” Mountainback retorted.

“I’m not deaf!” Her tail lashed furiously as she stared him down with fiery green eyes. 

“He needs to return to where he came from.” 

“Why?” she continued. “Because you’re afraid?”

“No, because I don’t trust him. Just like I don’t trust you.”

Willowfire crouched down, seconds away from lunging when Stoneclaw stepped between them.

“Get out of my way!” she hissed.

“Mountainback is right.”

Everyone turned to face Bearclaw as he spoke, all of them wearing shocked expressions. The dark brown tabby sauntered towards Mountainback, meeting Ruggedstar’s gaze.    
“We cannot trust the kitten. We don’t know what they are capable of. After he is stable enough, we should take him back to the border.”

“Evil is in his blood.” The voice came from Braveheart this time. “I say we take him now.”

“I agree,” Smokepelt meowed. The gray she cat had been silent for a long time, but ultimately decided she agreed with her father.

Mountainback turned to look at his daughter with pride in his eyes.

“Littlepaw stays, and that’s final,” Ruggedstar snapped, reaching the end of his patience. He had entertained their opinions long enough. He was their leader, and this discussion was over. There was nothing that could change his mind. “One more fucking word from any of you and you’ll be assigned triple border patrol shifts for a week.”

Goldenfang watched the leader approvingly, nodding ever so slightly to show her support of his words.

There had never been so much raw tension in the clearing. Electricity seemed to buzz between their pelts like lightning, and one wrong move would cause them all to burst into flames. Claws slowly but surely became sheathed as cats stood down, and while Mountainback was the last one to comply, he eventually backed away from the nursery. Working morning, afternoon, and evening patrols every day for a whole week would be enough to break even the strongest of cats.

“Now, make use of yourselves while I’m still feeling generous,” Ruggedstar growled threateningly. The cat’s of Oakclan quickly began to disperse, and the leader took note of Mountainback, Bearclaw, Braveheart, and Smokepelt walking off in the same direction.

“I want someone standing guard outside of the nursery at all times,” he ordered his deputy, muscles tightening just beneath his pelt. Consistent and prolonged defiance would not be tolerated. It drove him mad. “Nobody is to enter unless authorized.”

Goldenfang nodded quickly in understanding.

“I would like to volunteer,” Graywolf meowed, stepping forward with his head held high. It was clear to anyone who knew him that he would stop at nothing to keep Brindlepelt safe. Especially since she had kits on the way. There was no one better to stand guard than him.

“Good, take the shift for the rest of the day. At midnight Spruceheart will take your place,” Ruggedstar meowed, beckoning the young tom over with his tail.

The brown tabby’s ears perked up instantly at the mention of his name; he had been talking to Birchfeather just in earshot of their conversation. Spruceheart briskly made his way over, dipping his head respectfully. It was hard for him to stifle his surprise. He couldn’t be more honored that the leader had chosen him for the second shift. It implied both trust, and respect. It was all he ever wanted. And despite his own beliefs about what they should do with the kitten, he would always obey his orders.

Ruggedstar nodded approvingly at him as he approached before fixing his attention back on his deputy.   
“When you send out the morning hunting patrol, have Ravenpelt step in for Spruceheart. I trust that you can discern the rest on your own.”

Ravenpelt walked over to the group at the mention of her name as well.

“Yes,” Goldenfang replied, when suddenly her eyes narrowed to slits and began to focus on something just behind the Oakclan leader. “You,” she hissed.

The group turned to watch Flamepelt creeping away as slowly as possible. He winced slightly at the deputy, as though her words had jumped out and bit him.

“Heyyy… I was just… Gonna go to the warrior’s den… Or… Hunting?... Maybe pee or something… I drank so much water earlier, you know how it is... Aha…” The words seemed to tumble from his mouth, and Boulderface rolled his eyes at the pitiful train wreck unfolding before him.

“Make it stop,” the medicine cat grumbled under his breath.

“You started this. You wanna act like a reckless apprentice, you’ll get treated as a reckless apprentice. Go get some mouse bile and pay Oakstorm and Mosspool a visit. I’m sure you can find some ticks that need tending to. And don’t forget to change their bedding,” Goldenfang ordered him, not hesitating in the slightest.

Flamepelt’s tail drooped as he turned his head to face the ground in shame. But he accepted his punishment without complaint, swiftly making his way to Boulderface’s den to retrieve the mouse bile.

By this time, Graywolf had walked inside the nursery and was now lovingly grooming his mate. To an outsider, with Littlepaw curled up at her side, they almost looked like a family.

“What a fucking mess,” Boulderface scoffed.

“So much for keeping things private,” Goldenfang added irritably.

Ruggedstar continued to stare in the direction that Mountainback’s group had gone, his eyes glinting dangerously beneath the sun. He was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. They were up to something.

“So it’s settled then?” the deputy continued, making eye contact with the leader, the medicine cat, Spruceheart, and Ravenpelt. “Littlepaw stays until he’s recovered, then we decide what to do next?”

Everyone nodded in agreement before beginning to disperse.

Goldenfang immediately began barking out orders, announcing who would be going on the evening hunting and border patrols. Spruceheart made his way back to Birchfeather, and Ravenpelt stayed by Ruggedstar’s side. Right as the two cat’s began to make their way to the leader’s den, Ruggedstar suddenly paused, turning to look at Boulderface.

“You made a good call in bringing Littlepaw back here. Despite our differences, I trust you’ll do the right thing. Oakclan is lucky to have you as its medicine cat.”

The words seemed to shock the grey tom, whose ears twitched ever so slightly in surprise. For a moment, Boulderface was speechless. But once he regained his composure, he dipped his head respectfully to the leader. Both toms had immeasurable pride, but at the end of the day, they both wanted to do what was best. It was the one commonality that held their relationship together.

Ruggedstar dipped his head in return before turning around with Ravenpelt to discuss things further in his den.

Boulderface sighed from exhaustion.

_ What an absolute, horrendous mess. _

He peered into the nursery, watching the queens and Graywolf fawn over Littlepaw. He would never admit it, but he wasn’t even entirely sure what the right thing to do was. There were so many factors, and ultimately it was a battle between emotion and logic. Selflessness and selfishness. Bravery and cowardice. But as Goldenfang had said earlier, all they could do was take it one step at a time. They would worry about what to do with him when the time came. For now, he was going to do the thing he did best.

Be a medicine cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter was kind of chaotic; tons of character's names being thrown around. I did my best to explain in the notes at the beginning who is related to who. <3
> 
> Friendly reminder, as always...  
> While all of this is taking place, Willowpaw met with The Mother, Dawnspirit met Asmodeus, and Duskpelt is dealing with the aftermath of her daughter (Dawnspirit) leaving back in Riverclan.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this far! Have a great rest of your day. <3


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I would suggest re-reading chapter 7 before reading this chapter...)
> 
> While the cat's of Oakclan fight over what to do with Littlepaw, and Willowpaw of Elderclan speaks to The Mother, and Dawnspirit meets Asmodeus in the forest, and Duskpelt of Riverclan copes with her daughter's leaving... Kali and Jewel continue to live their peaceful lives out on the old farm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices in a character's head.  
> Kali is a rogue from the clans. Jewel has been a loner her whole life. They met years ago and have been inseparable since.

She couldn’t believe that the nightmare had happened just last night.

It had felt so real that a part of her was convinced it had actually happened. Or even worse, was going to happen. As much as she wanted to not care, the thought that people she loved might be in danger gnawed at the back of her mind. She had been unable to distinguish any of the dead bodies from her dream, and the cat that had stood on top of them was one she had never seen before. But she did know one thing for sure; Deadheart was alive and well. 

The faint crow of a rooster had woken her companion, who groggily made her way outside of the barn.

“What are you doing up so early?” Jewel croaked, her voice scratchy from a good night’s rest. 

“Couldn’t fall back asleep,” Kali meowed before kicking a dead mouse towards the tortoiseshell’s paws.

Jewel’s face scrunched up slightly at first in annoyance, but eventually she gave in, sinking her teeth into the warm body. “I’m not surprised. Cat’s all the way back in the forest could’ve heard your yammering last night,” she meowed between mouthfuls. 

“Mm,” Kali replied apathetically, beginning to groom herself.

She had already eaten a vole earlier, and since she had had nothing better to do, she’d caught a mouse for Jewel. Most of the morning had been spent wandering the endless fields, practicing her fighting techniques and running for as long as possible to build endurance. She wasn’t going to slack off just because she was no longer a warrior. Regardless of where she lived, she would always be a soldier at heart; nothing could take that away from her.

“Hey, I was wondering if you could show me that thing you did last week…”

“What thing?” Kali meowed.

“You know. When we were fighting off those shit-for-brains toms.” She pulled aggressively at an exceptionally fatty piece of the mouse before finally yanking the chunk free from the rest of the body. “God, where did you find this one? It’s fatter than a pinecone.”

“I found it just over there, past the hay bales. And yeah, I’ll show you.”   
She swept her golden, snake-like eyes across the field, watching the heat blur the trees in the distance. Today felt different than other days.

Most days it was the same thing over and over. Hunting, relaxing, talking, training, sleeping, exploring. Things only ever got exciting when danger was involved; and that wasn’t often. They’d settled down in a small little barn in the middle of nowhere, far away from loners and misfits. She’d heard tales of the humans that lived in the fields. They had been considered common folk; easily expendable. The world had relied on them for food, yet had mistreated them horribly. If she recalled correctly, they had been known as farmers.

Once the war had grown in size, expanding across the globe, many had sought refuge elsewhere. Miles of fields left abandoned, with no one to tend to them. In the end they had all destroyed one another. As far as she knew, not a single human still walked the earth. Hundreds of years had passed, giving nature the time it needed to recover, and rise to power once again.

“Alright…” Jewel meowed suddenly, taking one last gulp of food before walking in the direction of their training grounds. “Let’s do this.”

Just outside of the barn on the northern wall was a wide open, dusty space. Any time they practiced training of any sort, they started in the clearing. Plenty of room to fight.

Kali followed just behind her friend, her long limbs stretching out before her at a brisk pace. Once they had arrived, Jewel wasted no time in whipping around to face her, claw’s unsheathed.

“Now remember, if I start cussing your ear off, that means let go. Not ‘keep holding on until Jewel wants to murder me,’” the tortoiseshell griped, clearly recalling their last training session.

She smirked ever so slightly, remembering the event herself. She had pinned Jewel to the ground, keeping a firm grasp on her neck with her jaws. No matter how much her friend had struggled, she had refused to let go. She knew that in a real fight, you couldn’t just demand your assailant get off of you.

But she’d learned the hard way to not hold Jewel down when she didn’t want to be held down. She had the scars to remind her.

“Fair enough,” she drawled amusedly, stopping to stand across from her. “First things first. Put all of your energy into your legs.”

“What? You threw him off of your shoulders.”

“Yes. But I could only thrust up so hard because of my legs,” Kali meowed. “If you put the energy into your shoulders and back, you could hurt yourself. Allow your legs to do the work, and focus on positioning your shoulders in the right place in the meantime.”

Time passed as she continued her training with Jewel, the sun rising higher and higher above them until her pelt felt as though it were on fire. Their training sessions rarely lasted this long, but she wanted something to take her mind off of last night.

“Alright alright, that’s enough. I’m too old for this shit,” the tortoiseshell grumbled, pulling herself to a tired stand after having been knocked onto her side.

“Done so soon?” Kali taunted.

“Ha! Shut the fuck up.”

She smirked with mischievous amusement as she watched her friend annoyedly make her way back to the barn, limping ever so slightly.

Suddenly she was overwhelmingly aware of how dry her mouth was. Not only had she been moving her body for hours, but the heat had been beating down on her in waves.

_ I need a drink. _

Her mind drifted away to nowhere as she made her way towards the forest nearby. It was where they got most of their prey. Thin, barren pine trees stretched towards the sky beside tall oaks, whose green leaves created a beautiful canopy overhead. There were very few sources of water nearby, making it a bad home for large predators. It was perfect.

Her and Jewel had discovered a very small stream of water that trickled out from between two boulders not too long ago. It flowed down onto another boulder, and over the years it had created a mild crater on its surface where the water pooled ever so slightly. Relief washed over her at the sight of it.

She began to lap at it vigorously, the sunlight filtering through the trees to dazzle brilliantly on her calico fur. Many calico’s pelts were long, and thick. Her mother’s was, anyways. But hers was medium in length, the colors flecking sporadically across her tall, lean body. She was large for a she-cat, but she wouldn’t change it for a damn thing. If anything, it empowered her.

The moments ticked by as she continued to drink from the pool, feeling as though no amount of water would quench her thirst. But finally she’d had enough, lifting her head up before licking loose water off of her muzzle.

Her yellow gaze scanned the trees around her, a peaceful confidence flowing through her veins. Sometimes this place reminded her of her home. If she closed her eyes and parted her jaws, she swore she could taste his scent dancing across her tongue… Rough, bitter,  _ warm _ … When suddenly.

“One more move, and I’ll claw your face off,” she meowed, slowly turning to stare at a narrow oak tree where the faint shift of orange fur could be seen moving around behind it. The faint crackle of dead leaves and snapping twigs had given the stranger away. Their approach hadn’t exactly been stealthy. “Who are you?” she continued, her voice threatening, but calm.

“Okay, okay, no need to get your whiskers twisted…”

She watched as a large, overweight tabby shuffled out from behind the oak, eyeing her nervously. She stared at him for a moment, her expression cold, and calculating. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t this.

“What’re ya gonna do?” he continued, voice shaking ever so slightly as he gulped loudly.

“Depends,” she meowed smoothly, eyes narrowed to slits. “What were  _ you  _ going to do?”

“Well, ya see, I was lookin’ for some late morning breakfast, when I saw ya drinking from that there stream… An’ I thought, maybe she’d know where I can find a nice plump rabbit. But then I got closer an’ I thought, maybe this here ain’t a good idea… Sneaking up on a fine cat such as yourself. Considering ya’ could probably take me down in about 5 seconds if ya’ wanted to… Aha…”

He rambled on for what felt like forever, to the point where a part of her felt like it might be a trap. A quick sweep of the area with her eyes revealed nothing, and when she tasted the air, the only scent she picked up was his.

For a few moments she stared at him, unsure of what to say. He didn’t seem threatening, not in the slightest, and he was right when he said she could take him down in mere seconds if she wanted to. But lucky for him, she wasn’t the murderous type.

The calico gently bounded down the boulders back onto the forest floor, amusement flickering in her eyes as the stranger began to stumble nervously away from her.

“Er, please miss, I didn’t mean ya’ no harm. I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again, I swear on… On all the prey in the forest,” he begged, and if she didn’t know any better, it almost sounded as though he might cry.

A part of her enjoyed toying with him. She knew it wasn’t the nicest thing to do, but life was so boring nowadays. His emotions would survive.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Kali meowed finally, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“OH! Oh thank god. Oh thank you so much kind miss…” The orange tabby flopped onto his rear, eyes practically rolling back into his head from relief. His sides were heaving as though he’d ran a mile. “I thought I was done for.”

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“My name is Phillip, but my friends call me Pudge… They say it ‘suits me better.’ It bothered me at first, but now I don’t mind. I am quite aware that I am larger than most, but that is quite alright… That just means there’s more uh’ me to love.”

Something about him was both annoying, and appealing. She didn’t know how to describe it. But she liked him regardless. She could tell he had a good heart.

“I’m Kali,” she told him. “It was a pleasure to meet you Pudge.”

She turned back towards the farm, beginning to head home, thinking that was the end of their conversation. But she had been wrong. Very, very wrong.

“What a perty name, how bout’ that!” the tom exclaimed, quickly running over until he followed behind her, tail high in the air. “Never met a Kali before. Makes me think of this one she-cat I met years ago… Kathy? No… Kylie… No… Karma? Karpo? Kiki?”

Confusion pricked at her paws at first; why was he following her? She hadn’t intended for this to turn into a meet-and-greet. The best-friend slot in her life had already been filled, and she wasn’t exactly looking for a mate. So what was he doing?

Despite her bewilderment, she continued on, confident that he meant no harm. A mischievous smile crept onto her face as she got an idea. She didn’t mind him all that much; she wasn’t one to get worked up easily. But Jewel? Jewel was another story. A cat like him was her worst nightmare.

He continued to ramble on behind her about some old friend of his, and before she even realized she was home, the barn stood looming in the distance. They’d reached the edge of the forest and were now overlooking the endless fields. Somehow she’d managed to walk the entire way back without having to say a word. He really did know how to keep himself occupied. He hadn’t questioned even once where they were going, either. Some weird part of her felt responsible for him now; like she had to protect him from anyone who would mean him harm. It was amazing to her that he’d survived alone even as long as he had.

“I still couldn’t believe it! I told er’, now listen, you can’t be talkin’ to me like that. It ain’t right. We are two adults, and I found this bush first- Oh! Wow! Would ya’ look at that.” Pudge cut himself off mid sentence once the barn had come into view, his curious green eyes surveying the new world around them. “You live down there er’ somethin’?”

“Yes.”

She wasted no time in making her way over to the tall red building, already biting down laughter over something that hadn’t even happened yet. And oh, would it happen.

Dry hay crinkled beneath her paws as she approached the barn doors, ready for her companion to come out at any moment.

“Where the hell did you-” Jewel came to a grinding halt after walking outside at the sound of Kali approaching. Her eyes settled on the orange tom almost instantly, her tortoiseshell fur spiking up in all different directions. “What the fuck is that?”

“Pudge, meet Jewel. Jewel, meet Pudge.” She swiftly walked past her friend, leaping up onto a hay bale before gracefully turning around and lying down. She wanted to watch them from above. Best seat in the house.

“Howdy, nice to meet ya’. Nearly gave yer’ friend there a heart attack in the forest! But we’re cool now. Ain’t that right Kiko?”

“Right,” she meowed back, nodding in agreement with a stifling grin plastered across her face. She looked at Jewel who stood there in complete and utter disbelief. She could practically see the gears working in her friend’s head as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

“What the fuck is this?” Jewel finally demanded, completely ignoring Pudge to turn and face Kali. “I thought you went to go take a shit, not collect fat strays.”

“Hey…” the orange tom meowed, frowning.

“I like him,” she replied, licking at her paw before running it down her face, beginning to groom herself. “And I thought maybe, just maybe, you two might hit it off.”

“And I think maybe, just maybe- no, definitely - you’re full of shit.”

It took everything in her power to keep from busting out laughing. Jewel was so easy to get riled up, and there was nothing stopping her from doing so. She brought it on herself.

“I didn’t mean to cause no trouble. I promise! I haven’t met two cats as… Nice as yourselves, in quite some time. Everyone else just wants to fight, or kill me… It ain’t right,” Pudge meowed sadly, still frowning.

“I can see why,” Jewel snapped, beady eyes narrowed to slits as she stared him down.

He gulped loudly just as he had done back in the forest. Poor thing didn’t have a fighting bone in his body.

“Listen, if you want me to go, I’ll go…”

“Great, it’s settled then” Jewel replied almost instantly, whipping around to head back into the barn.

“It’s just that…”

Just when Kali thought the situation couldn’t get any funnier, he continued.

“I’d really like some companionship. It gets lonely out there, all by ma’ self… You two seem like good, honest cats, and there ain’t no reason why we can’t all coexist… I don’t really know how to fight, and I ain’t the best hunter, in fact I kinda scare prey away… But, I’m an excellent listener and I don’t stink much.”

“Wow. You hear that Jewel? I don’t know about you but I’m sold,” Kali meowed down to her friend, tail twitching excitedly despite her laid back, sprawled out posture.

“This is not happening. Over my dead body,” her friend hissed angrily. “I will leave here and never come back, I swear to god.”

She was used to the tortoiseshell’s short temper by now. Jewel never actually meant what she said; she just wasn’t known for being very... go-with-the-flow.

“A few night’s won’t hurt,” Kali meowed, hoping her friend would be willing to compromise.

Jewel glared at her for a few moments, and Kali had a sneaking suspicion that if she were on ground level, her friend would’ve cuffed her over the head by now.

“One night, but that’s it. If he keeps me awake I’m holding you responsible. I swear to god I will shit in your nest if he pulls anything.”

“Deal,” Kali replied happily, still smirking.

“Hmph.”

She watched as her friend disappeared inside the barn before turning to face Pudge. He was still standing there awkwardly, face scrunched up ever so slightly as though he were in pain. It was uncomfortable to look at.

“Well I guess that’s it then,” she meowed down to him before rolling onto her side, stretching out beneath the sun in preparation for a long, long nap. “Make yourself at home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I reference a time when humans were alive hundreds of years ago... The world of the past is not like the world we live in today. Humans were one of many races to be alive back in the day. You will learn more about the world that existed before the clans as time goes on.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had so much fun writing it and am happy to be able to introduce Pudge.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has been full of surprises...  
> Ruggedstar calms the clan down after news of Littlepaw being a Shadow Walker gets out, Dawnspirit meets a mysterious and haunting stranger named Asmodeus, Duskpelt deals with ridicule from Riverclan and suspects Sandstone of knowing where her daughter is, and Willowpaw visits The Mother for the first time in her life...  
> Now, night falls across the clans... Come with me as we take a peek inside Elderclan, and delve even further into Willowpaw's heart...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in italics are thoughts/voices in a character's head. They can also be memories of the past.  
> Lightgaze is deputy, and his sister is Frostbriar.  
> Blackfire is a very old elder in the clan. Flameheart is a senior warrior. Silverstream is a young to middle-aged warrior.

“May we lift our heads as one, and thank Starclan for the fruitful and bountiful hunt before us.”

One by one the cats of Elderclan turned to face the sky, closing their eyes as they basked beneath the moon’s glow. Time passed as they exchanged silent words of gratitude with those who came before them. While those in The Realm lived far longer than most, they, too, passed away eventually. The cats who lived on in their place never failed in expressing their thanks.

Eventually all eyes fell upon Elkstar once more, waiting for the signal to begin the feast. He stood atop a flattened branch that extended towards the stars, staring down at his clan with unwavering pride in his eyes.

At last he lowered his head, sinking his teeth into a plump rabbit that lay at his feet. And so it began.

The clan hungrily began to dig into their prey, forming small groups throughout the clearing to share amongst themselves. The faint rumble of peaceful chatter rose up slowly but surely, and the forest hummed ever so slightly as it fed off of the moonlight.

Willowpaw gently grasped a mouse in her jaws, eyes flickering around the camp in search of a friendly face. She hated this part of clan life. Sometimes she wished she could run into the forest and eat alone, with nothing but her own company. But that was unacceptable. The night-hunt was a time of bonding, and closeness. It was at the very heart of their traditions.

Her shoulders slumped in relief as Flameheart beckoned her over with her tail, an inviting smile resting on the orange tabby’s face. The elder, Blackfire, along with Frostbriar and Silverstream, sat in the group as well.

“Glad you could join us,” Flameheart meowed.

“Thank you for inviting me,” she replied, dipping her head in respect. It was an honor to have been invited to share prey with both a senior warrior and an elder. She should be grateful.

“At least one of these apprentices has some respect!” Blackfire scoffed, trembling ever so slightly as she tore into a vole. “Those two over there wouldn’t know respect if it slapped them on the nuts,” she continued, glaring at Deathpaw and Blackpaw.

Flameheart frowned at the elder’s crass words while Frostbriar smirked in amusement.

Willowpaw felt a twinge of guilt at the tortoiseshell elder’s words; just a moment ago she had been daydreaming of eating alone, and now she was being praised for her supposed eagerness to dine with the seniors of the clan.

“So, Willowpaw, how is training coming along?” Silverstream meowed sweetly, her voice as gentle as the waves that lap along the ocean shore. Something about the way the gray tabby spoke had always soothed her.

“Quite well, thank you,” she replied happily. The question brought her back to the day’s earlier events, a faint tingling spreading from her paws up towards her chest.

  
  


_ “We cannot be together. It isn’t meant to be,” she cried. _

_ “You are wise beyond your years. It will serve you greatly in time.” _

_ Sadness consumed her heart entirely. And so it was true. Her destiny was to love the one thing she could never have. _

  
  


She couldn’t resist the urge to scan the clearing, searching for his white pelt amongst the crowd. Eventually she found him, the deep below of his laughter rumbling through the air as he spoke with Graylion and Graywillow. Her chest tightened with pain.

“Yes, she’s done excellently. I got to see her perform today during our training session. Lightgaze has outdone himself,” Flameheart complimented affectionately.

Willowpaw snapped her attention back on her own group, a nervous smile creeping onto her face.

“Oh, yes... thank you. He has been a wonderful mentor. I thank Starclan for him every day,” she replied sincerely, while consciously fighting back any emotion that might’ve made its way into her tone. She didn’t want anyone to know. This was a secret she would take to her grave. Something deep in her soul told her it was the right thing to do. Perhaps it was Starclan - perhaps it was The Mother - all she knew was that whatever she felt for the deputy must be wrong.

“When’s the warrior ceremony?” Blackfire spoke up, only halfway done with her vole. Meanwhile, Flamepelt and Frostbriar exchanged prey respectfully. “It should be soon, right?” she continued.

“I believe so… Elkstar hasn’t said anything to me, but… Lightgaze seems to think I’m ready.”

Frostbriar had been completely silent throughout their conversation, happily gnawing away at what was previously Flameheart’s meal. Silverstream eventually gestured to the squirrel at her paws, blinking calmly. “Care to trade?”

“Sure.” Willowpaw nudged her mouse towards her clanmate before scooping up the squirrel in her jaws. She wasn’t the biggest fan of squirrel; there was always too much fur. But she wasn’t about to decline the offer. It was polite, after all.

“Any warrior names in mind?” Silverstream asked excitedly. Although none of them got to choose their names, it was fun to exchange ideas with one another. It wasn’t everyday that someone was made a warrior. In fact, it was rather rare, given how slow the clan aged. But her ceremony would be any month now.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” she replied honestly.

“I think Willowheart would fit you well,” Flameheart chimed in.

“Well that’s just biased!” Blackfire croaked, coughing slightly on a piece of her prey. None of them had offered to trade with her; the elder loved vole. Anyone who tried to take one from her might lose an eye.

“Hm… Maybe so,” the orange tabby warrior replied, not taking offense to the elder’s words. “I stand by it though. Willow’s symbolize harmony, and beauty. It fits.”

Willowpaw smiled happily, heat burning her cheeks as shyness overcame her. The senior warrior had always been so kind and uplifting. Sometimes she didn’t know how to receive her words in a humble manner.

“Thank you, Flameheart. You’re too kind.” She chose to keep it simple, and to the point.

“I would have to agree.”

His voice came out of nowhere, making her jump ever so slightly. Lightgaze approached from the other side of the clearing, a warm expression on his face as he stared down at her. She felt her heart instantly beat faster at the sight of him.

“Harmony, beauty, strength... Perhaps we should just call you Willow, hm?”

The she-cats in the group chuckled ever so slightly, and only then did she realize how they all looked at him. She’d never noticed before because she’d never cared before. He was handsome, kind, honorable. What reason  _ didn’t  _ they have to stare?

“Thank you, Lightgaze,” she meowed, dipping her head appreciatively.

Eventually he took a seat, and to her immense pleasure, it was beside her.

The moonlight made his white pelt glow even brighter, his rich blue gaze drawing her in like the ocean’s waves. But suddenly, it hit her.

_ The Mother _ .

He had guided her to her earlier, and yet now he behaved as though it had never happened. Had it all truly been a dream?

“Another vole I see. Before you know it, there will be none left in all The Realm,” he teased Blackfire lightheartedly.

“When that happens, that’s the day I’m giving up. When you’ve been alive as long as I have, there are few things that keep you going. For me, it’s my voles. I love these damn things…” the elder replied longingly, as though she didn’t have one resting just at her feet.

“I don’t think that’s possible… Plus, with Frostbriar around, those voles have no chance of getting away,” Flameheart chuckled.

Frostbriar was the clan's best hunter. There was no prey too small; no prey too stealthy. She would find it without question.

The deputy stared at his sister with pride in his gaze. “Very true. She could find a white hare in a snowstorm.”

“Oh please,” Frostbriar grumbled, rolling her eyes at all of their flattery. 

A few moments passed as they continued to enjoy their meals, the stars shining brilliantly overhead as they watched over them. It was a nice evening.

The air was cool to the touch; just cool enough to where she didn’t feel uncomfortable, but also cool enough to where she wanted to share pelts.

The idea came over her so suddenly, as did the rush of emotions that came with it. It was such a weird new world she was now a part of. The knowledge of The Mother watching her created a sense of both discomfort, and security. Like she knew that The Mother would never judge her, but she now had the desire to not disappoint her. But one thing she didn’t want to do was allow her life to be ruled by someone else. Her choices needed to be hers, and hers alone.

Her heart slammed against her chest as she pawed nervously at the few remaining scraps of the squirrel.

_ Just do it _ , she thought.

Even though no eyes were on her, it felt as though the whole world was watching. The group ate away without a thought, exchanging a brief word here and there. She was the only one making a big deal out of anything. It wasn’t a big deal… Right?

_ Nobody will notice. Just do it _ .

Every inch of her felt as though it were on fire as she began to shift ever so slightly to her right. She could practically feel the tip of his fur on her own already; or was it merely her imagination? Right as she was about to share pelts with him, blood pounding in her ears, the moment was ruined entirely.

“Are you still hungry?” Silverstream meowed, sitting on the right side of the deputy, her rich green eyes staring up at him sweetly. She gestured towards the mouse that Willowpaw had originally been eating, a kind smile on her face.

“How did you know I love mouse?”

She felt her heart drop into her stomach like a rock, and it wasn’t until that moment that she realized how tense her muscles had been.

The gray tabby chuckled at his words before pawing the rest of her meal towards him. “Mm… Lucky guess?”

“Are you sure?” the deputy asked, fixing his blue gaze on Silverstream.

Willowpaw watched them in agony, feeling as though she’d been swept away in a sea of emotions; and for what? Because she saw the way that the gray she-cat looked at him? Even worse, because she saw the way that he looked at her?

They were around the same age; old souls in still youthful bodies. Both kind, diplomatic, warm. They were a picture of compatibility. It killed her.

“Very,” she finally replied, not breaking line of sight with him.

“Alright you two, quit making babies with your eyes. There’s an apprentice here ya know.” The words came from Blackfire, and Willowpaw had never seen two cats get embarrassed so quickly. Lightgaze cleared his throat and Silverstream shyly averted her gaze to stare at the ground. Frostbriar and Flameheart both broke out in a flurry of chuckles at the elder’s words, who was grinning from ear to ear.

And then there was her. Every single word had cut like ice to her soul, freezing her lungs until it felt as though she couldn’t breathe.

_ “There’s an apprentice here ya know.” _

The words rang in her ears miserably until she felt sick.

_ Apprentice _ , she thought.  _ Still just an apprentice _ .

She almost felt as though she were going to cry.

_ Starclan, what’s wrong with me? _

“Excuse me,” she meowed abruptly, forcing a polite smile before making her way out of the clearing. A walkway of sorts had been carved into the trunk of a colossal tree many years ago, curling around and up into the sky, leading to their camp which overlooked the ocean. But all she wanted to do right now was go down to the ground, and take her heightened emotions with her.

Her whole life she had been calm, and collected. She knew she had a passionate side, and because of this, she never allowed it to dominate her. But the older she became, the harder it was to control. She found the fire within her spilling out until flames danced along her tongue. It would ruin her.

She was moons away from becoming one of them, a true warrior, and yet the closer she got to that point, the more impulsive she felt. It was as though she’d been shoving down who she truly was, but it only kept getting bigger and bigger, until she could no longer contain it. So now, it was up to her to decide which parts she wanted to keep in, and which parts she wanted to let out.

_ Balance _ , she told herself.  _ Everything needs balance _ .

She hadn’t stopped to see how her clanmates had reacted. They might have barely noticed that she left. That’s what she was hoping, anyways.

The trunk felt cold beneath her paws, sending a small shiver up her legs with every step. She quickly glanced inside of the medicine cat den as she passed by. It was buried within a deep cave that was carved within the core of the trunk. Silvertongue had been asleep since last night and hadn’t woken up since. Every now and then the medicine cat would take a bunch of herbs and pass out for a day or two. While it wasn’t the best plan, Willowpaw would give her one thing; she was insanely determined. She wondered what answers Silvertongue was seeking from Starclan this time.

She continued to make her way down, the chatter of her clanmates fading into the background to be replaced by the gently flowing wind. She paused, taking a deep breath before allowing her entire body to relax. Sometimes being around them was exhausting. So proper, so formal, so  _ polite _ . It was like she had to be perfect all the time. The one cat in the entire clan who didn’t mince their words was Blackfire, and even she received judgment and ridicule.

Maybe that was why she felt the way she did, she wondered. Maybe her emotions were normal, but her clan had taught her they weren’t. Surely it wasn’t abnormal to have opinions? Surely it wasn’t abnormal to feel deep affection and love towards those who treat you well? Surely it wasn’t abnormal to be authentically who you are?

Her mind began to race, but she caught herself. She remembered Lightgaze’s wisdom from many moons ago. One of the many things he’d taught her that had made her into who she was today.

_ “When you feel as though your thoughts are splitting off into a million different directions, and it becomes too much to handle, bring it down to the roots. Treat your mind as a tree, and your thoughts as the branches. What is truly at the center of it all?” _

She began to sort through each emotion, trying to pinpoint their commonalities.

_ I want to be older. I want to be treated with respect. I want to be with Lightgaze _ , she began, her heartbeat beginning to slow ever so slightly.

_ I want to know who I am. I want the clan to honor who I am. I want to be  _ **_me_ ** . Her breathing slowly steadied as she sorted through everything one by one, step by step, determined to take control.

_ I’m tired of hiding, I’m tired of not knowing. I’m angry that I’ve become swept away by emotions. I’m angry that they’ve rooted themselves in me. I hate that I feel sick at the idea of him with someone else. How did this happen so quickly? What is wrong with me? _

She stared off into the trees, only having made it halfway down to the forest floor. A part of her wished she could close her eyes and be back beside The Mother again. But she wanted to figure this out on her own. She wanted to find the strength within herself to do so.

_ Strength _ ... 

Her pale green eyes flickered back and forth excitedly as realization came over her. For all of her  _ passion _ , for all of her  _ opinions _ , for all of her  _ fire…  _ There was one thing she was lacking. The glue that would hold it all together.

Confidence.

The root of every thought, every emotion, every fear, was insecurity.

It stretched into branches of self doubt… denial... a desire to escape and be someone that she wasn’t. She realized, for the first time in her life, how she had entirely rejected herself. Every moment had been spent trying to fit in and please those around her. But the pain and confusion she felt now? It wasn’t because of them. It was because of her. She was her own worst enemy.

Her feelings for Lightgaze weren’t new; they’d been there all along. Her passion had grown stronger with every day; it only hurt because she burned herself hiding the flames. Her worries of being rejected by the clan…

_ Who cares? I’m not living my life for them anyways. _

Excitement buzzed in her paws until it consumed her entirely, her small body twitching from relief. It felt as though she’d been carrying around a boulder, and had finally mustered the strength to set it free.

_ No more bottling things up. No more questioning who I am. I know  _ **_exactly_ ** _ who I am. And there is nothing wrong with that. No matter what they say. Become a warrior, become a leader. Take what you want from the world and make no apologies. _

“Willowheart,” she scoffed out loud to herself, staring up at the stars with a challenging gaze. “Willow _ storm _ .”

“That has a nice ring to it as well.”

The voice came from behind her, making her jump for the second time that night.   
“Holy shit, you scared me!” she exclaimed. The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had time to process them. They were so improper. It was exhilarating.

The deputy raised his eyebrows in surprise, but instead of anger, an amused smirk tugged ever so slightly at his mouth.

“My apologies. Maybe that’s what we need to work on in our next session…” he began, eyeing her mischievously as he stopped beside her. “Teaching you how to be more aware of your surroundings. Clearly I have failed you in that regard.”

The nerves she had felt before when sitting beside him had faded, but discovering her need to work on her confidence had not dimmed any emotions; it had simply put them in perspective. She didn’t need to feel guilt any longer. She had a plan now, and step one? Step one was being true to herself. No shame.

“Apparently so,” she replied, returning the mischievous glance before continuing to stare off into the forest.

“So tell me, Willowstorm of Elderclan, what you’re doing out here all by yourself?”

The beautiful tortoiseshell tilted her head back to stare up at him, allowing herself to feel every exquisite emotion that washed over her. He was the best person she’d ever met in her life, and as she looked at him now, she realized there wasn’t a single thing wrong in loving him. Because who wouldn’t?

“I needed to collect my thoughts,” she meowed honestly, not wanting to reveal too much. There was something empowering about choosing discretion. Because at the end of the day, she wasn’t a warrior just yet. They couldn’t morally be together untils he was. “Now you tell me, Lightgaze of Elderclan, why did you come to check on me all by myself?”

Her words held an authority she’d never felt before. For once, she commanded his attention. For once, she felt like his equal.

He held her gaze for several moments, and she could practically see him sorting through his own thoughts, as he always did. It was of no surprise to her. He always saw in her what she often failed to see in herself. But now? Now she saw. She saw everything.

“I take it your talk with The Mother went well,” he rumbled, and the remark took her so off guard that she hardly noticed that he hadn’t answered her question.

“Yes, actually,” she meowed, watching as he took a seat, wrapping his tail around his paws to stay warm before staring out over the forest. “But I make the rules.”

She saw his brow’s crease ever so slightly, a concerned look befalling him. But he didn’t avert his gaze from the trees.

“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that.”

“What do you mean?” Willowpaw asked stubbornly, feeling both curious and defensive.

“The Mother tells us what we need to hear. It is often not what we want to hear… You cannot alter fate.”

She continued to watch him, and if she didn’t know any better, she detected a sorrow to his voice. As though something burdened him as well.

“I think that’s bullshit.”

The deputy’s ears shot up instantly at her words, and to her amusement, that was enough to capture his attention once more. He turned to stare down at her, seeming to feel both surprise and mild annoyance.

Before he had a chance to push the issue, she continued.

“There is not a thing in this world that can take your choice away from you. It can warn you, try to guide you… But nothing is set in stone,” she meowed, remembering The Mother’s words. “Destiny is set in water. Flowing, and ever changing.”

A sense of comfort blossomed in her chest, and almost instantly she knew that it was The Mother, watching over her from afar. Now, as she reflected back on their conversation, she felt hope. The Mother had said nothing specific of her and Lightgaze’s future.  _ She  _ had been the one expressing fear, expressing confusion, expressing  _ doubt _ .

  
  
  


_ “Lightgaze is a part of you. I brought you to him, and him to you. Navigating the path I have set before you will not be easy.” _

_ “What does that mean?” she whispered in frustration. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what I’m feeling. He was like a father to me.” _

_ “I cannot help you with that, daughter. Your stories are intertwined, but it is up to you what you make of them.” _

  
  


The Mother had confirmed one thing; whatever lie ahead would not be for the faint of heart. She would not have a textbook happily ever after. But she had also confirmed something else.

Lightgaze and her were connected. And not a damn thing in the world could change that.

He seemed to be mulling over what she said, wanting to find the right words before opening his mouth.

Eventually, to her immense pleasure, a warmth and realization spread across his face. He stared down at her, pride filling his gaze once more, as it always had.

“Wisdom becomes you. It seems as though my work here is almost done,” he meowed, dipping his head as a show of respect to her. “Perhaps one day you will be the one giving me lectures.”

Willowpaw found herself smiling happily, returning the warmth in her own gaze.

“Sounds great… How about… Tomorrow?”

A laugh rumbled deep within his chest, and the sound made her muscles tense with pleasure.

“Easy there tiger. You’re not quite there yet.”

The two of them continued to sit there side by side, so close, and yet so far apart. She inhaled slowly, allowing her new found confidence to wash over her.

“We’ll get there,” she meowed, continuing to stare into the night sky before shifting her eyes to rest on him one last time. “Maybe not tomorrow. But someday.”

She met his gaze steadily, fully aware of what she was doing, and feeling no shame for it. As he stared down at her, the warmth rolling off of his pelt in waves, a flicker of excitement bloomed in her chest as she realized that he might be aware of it too.

“Someday,” he murmured, the deep rumble of his voice reminding her why she loved him all over again. “Someday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I literally had so much fun. Is there anything better than blooming romance? Plus, it's fun to write out a character who is growing and discovering who they truly are. I feel that it is something many of us experience the older we get. One day it just clicks and you have to unapologetically say, "This is who I am."
> 
> Please keep in mind that Willowpaw and Lightgaze have a deep history. He has known her her entire life and in a way has raised her, as mentor and apprentice. Cats of Elderclan are not overly attached to their children in the way that other clans might be. He has been the main rock in her life since day one. As she matures and becomes a warrior, her feelings have matured and changed with her. Including her feelings for Lightgaze. (; wink wink.
> 
> Regarding age... Cats in Elderclan live far longer than the average cat... 1 year for an average cat is equivalent to roughly 10 years for a cat within The Realm.  
> Willowpaw has been alive for almost 10 years already. While that is still very young in Elderclan terms, realistically that is quite a long time.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two has come to a close in the last chapter, with Willowpaw and Lightgaze sharing words just outside of the Elderclan camp as they overlook The Realm.
> 
> Dawnspirit pressed onwards around the lake towards the clans, the cats of Oakclan and Riverclan continued about their lives normally (despite the recent excitement), and Kali and Jewel grudgingly allowed Pudge to stay the night...
> 
> This chapter is the start of day 3. Join Willowpaw on her morning border patrol and find out what happens next...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voices in italics are thoughts/voices within a characters head.  
> Elderclan is protected by a veil placed there by The Mother. None can enter The Realm without Elderclan's permission.  
> The Dark Forest runs along Elderclan's southern border.  
> The Gathering Pools is where Riverclan/Oakclan/Elderclan have their Gatherings. It's a ring of small waterfalls that pour down into a bunch of small pools scattered between rocks and boulders.

The morning was just as cool as the night before. Wind flowed peacefully throughout the trees, the gentle sway of leaves being the only sound heard for miles.

She was a part of the dawn border patrol with Lightgaze, Badgertail, and his mate, Lightmist. Once they returned from their patrol, a new patrol would be sent out, and so on and so forth. It was likely that she would be assigned to yet  _ another  _ patrol later that evening.

For some reason unbeknownst to the clan, Elkstar had been strictly enforcing back to back patrols both yesterday, and today. Something told her that it wouldn’t be stopping any time soon, either.

Normally they could get away with minimal patrols; the veil that covered the forest prevented strangers from entering, and if someone happened to get too close to the veil, well… The Mother would handle the rest. But now it was as though they were any other clan with wide open borders that must be protected at all costs. She wondered what had changed.

The deputy had said nothing to her, and as far as she knew, nobody else seemed to be questioning it. So instead of making a scene she decided to go with the flow and do as she was ordered. If something serious was going on, she trusted Lightgaze would’ve let her know.

Eventually they arrived at the eastern border, and Willowpaw watched in awe as sunlight fell upon the veil. It shimmered ever so slightly, reminding her of The Gathering Pools. The water there would be bathed in the moon’s silver glow until its surface flashed with dazzling lights. Almost as though it had captured some of the stars up above. As she watched the veil now, she swore she saw a flicker of stars on its surface as well.

Just outside of their border was grass that stretched for miles. It blanketed a sea of hills that eventually grew into mountains further north. Rabbits, sheep, and cows dotted the horizon, and on occasion, if they were lucky, they might spot a horse.

Southeast of Elderclan was Oakclan and the fields of tall grass. And even further east was Riverclan. The Isle was too far away for them to see, but Willowpaw could catch the shimmer of the lake in the distance if she squinted her eyes hard enough. It sat right between Oakclan and Riverclan, which meant no issues with trespassing for either of them.

Directly south of Elderclan, much to their disdain, was The Dark Forest. Just as there was tall grass separating Oakclan from The Dark Forest, and just as there was a lake separating Oakclan from Riverclan, a thin stretch of grass separated Elderclan from  _ them _ . Those who showed no mercy. Those who snuffed out all light. Those who were born in the darkness.

The Shadow Walkers.

Any time a border patrol was sent to mark their southern border, the size of the patrol was doubled per Elkstar’s orders. Willowpaw had heard tales of an overly curious apprentice venturing a mere tail length outside of the veil many, many moons ago. According to the elders, the darkness had pulled him in before the rest of the patrol could do anything to stop it. After the clan mourned the loss of the young tom, Elderclan created strict rules about the clans’ shared border. No cat, under any circumstances, would go anywhere near the southern border unless accompanied by at least four other capable warriors. No cat, under any circumstances, would step outside of the veil. And no cat, under any circumstances, would attempt to save any one who might be stupid enough to break those rules.

_ “If you are so inclined to explore the shadows of The Dark Forest, then perhaps that is where you belong.” _

Elkstar’s words rang in her ears even to this day. It was the same thing he told every new apprentice. And she would never forget it.

Lightgaze bounded up atop a rock that rested gently at the base of a tree. Rich green moss covered its surface, and it reminded her of Lightmist’s eyes.

She turned to face the gray tabby she-cat, who had peacefully taken a seat in a patch of grass. Badgertail stood not too far behind the deputy, scanning the horizon along with him. His tail was magnificent. A luscious mane of black and grey speckled fur that told stories of grandeur and splendor.

They were a clan of beauty. Each and every one of them had rich, sleek pelts with toned bodies resting just underneath. Their eyes contained the colors of the forest, and their voices rang with grace, and clarity. They were made in Starclan’s image; pure, and ethereal.

While she’d battled with insecurities most of her life, none of them applied to her appearance. Her tortoiseshell fur sparkled with streaks of golden sunlight, and her eyes were a light, mesmerizing green. She knew she was beautiful. They all did.

As the deputy and Badgertail continued to survey the hills along the eastern border, Willowpaw stared up into the trees overhead, admiring the leaves swaying beautifully in the breeze. They moved in perfect unison; an emerald sea of gentle waves that hissed like distant rain. Everything about the forest was truly a sight to behold. There was no rot to be found. No death, no foul thing, set foot between the trees of The Realm. Even the animals that made home in the forest were pure, and tranquil. Perhaps the most tranquil of them all was the white elks.

She could picture their magnificence now. Tall, lean frames held up by graceful legs that stretched for miles with every step. Everywhere they went, they carried themselves with dignity. No enemies and no friends befell them. They were independent from the rest of the world, blissfully unaware of the complications that plagued so many.

Her mind wandered back to the first time she’d seen one. She’d been wandering the forest with Lightgaze several years ago, covered by the shade of the trees as they pressed onwards, no destination in mind. Completely lost in their conversation, she’d hardly realized what stood before them. The deputy had silenced her almost instantly, dropping into a crouch before fixing his gaze straight ahead. She’d followed his line of sight until she saw him.

He had been so beautiful.

He’d stood in a small clearing, lapping gently at a silver stream that flowed between patches of grass. Flowers had littered the glade, and the sun had filtered through the leaves, illuminating his white pelt until he’d shimmered like starlight.

As he’d raised his head to stare up at the sky, his antlers had cast long shadows across the forest floor. She remembered how the shadows had stretched towards her until she could practically feel them on her pelt. The ultimate, most magnificent crown befitting The King of The Realm.

She smiled ever so slightly as she recalled the memory. It seemed as though it had happened just yesterday; not dozens of moons ago. She wondered if she would ever be lucky enough to bear witness to the beautiful creature again.

Time ticked by peacefully as they scanned the horizon, and Willowpaw felt grateful that the sun was only getting higher and higher in the sky. Hopefully it would chase away the cool air and replace it with summer’s warmth.

Right as she began to wonder if they should press onwards, Lightmist spoke.

“Something is coming…”

The deputy and Badgertail turned to look at her in unison, a stern, confused expression on both of their faces.

She, too, eyed the gray tabby with worry in her gaze.

_ Something is coming? _

Lightmist stared past the toms in the direction of the lake, and Willowpaw couldn’t help but feel chilled to the bone by the look in her eyes. There was something haunting about her manner. All of Elderclan was unusually connected to the world around them. They all had an intuitive sense of what  _ was _ , and what  _ would  _ be. But some carried that gift much closer to heart than others. Lightmist was one of them.

“What do you mean?” Badgertail demanded, a tense scowl plastered across his face as he watched his mate.

Lightgaze watched her as well, but to Willowpaw’s surprise, he said nothing. If she didn’t know any better, she detected a hint of fear in his eyes. It was not an emotion she’d seen him experience often, if at all. So she wondered, what did he know of Lightmist’s words, and what about it terrified him? Perhaps there  _ was  _ something he was hiding.

“I don’t know…” the gray warrior continued sorrowfully. She frowned slightly, which was something Willowpaw had never seen her do.

Why were they acting so strangely?

Badgertail glowered irritably but otherwise said nothing. If it had been anyone but his mate, he would’ve shred them to pieces for being so elusive. But not Lightmist. 

“Let’s continue,” Lightgaze meowed suddenly, turning around swiftly before beckoning the rest of them with a flick of his tail.

It had all happened so fast, and the energy in the air had been so uncomfortable, that Willowpaw hadn’t even gotten the chance to speak. Even now as she followed behind the deputy, she wondered what she would’ve even said.

Her mind raced with questions as they made their way along the entire eastern border. Once they got close to the southern border where The Dark Forest rest, they came to a grinding halt. It was done.

The journey back to camp seemed to go by far quicker than the patrol itself. No words were shared between the group of cats, and she wondered if it was because of Lightmist’s foreboding omen, or if they were all simply tired from a morning of hard work. Either way, something was different.

She, too, had felt it. A dark presence pulsing from some unknown destination in the world beyond The Realm. It hummed through the forest, colliding with the veil until the trees rumbled with thunder. For now, it was subtle. A dull throbbing in the distance. She had hardly noticed it until Lightmist had said something. And by the look on the deputy’s face, he had sensed it to.

_ Perhaps that’s why Elkstar increased border patrols… _

All she knew for now was that whatever was coming was new. The Elderclan leader had just issued the order for back to back patrols yesterday morning. Maybe that was why they were hiding it from the rest of the clan. Maybe  _ they  _ didn’t even know what the threat was yet.

Eventually they arrived at the sequoia, wasting no time in bounding along the smooth path that coiled around the tree, leading up towards their camp. The closer they got the top, the path spilled into the main clearing; a large, flat expanse of wood that extended along a massive branch. The medicine den was to the immediate left; a spacious cave that had been carved out of the trunk. Just past the medicine den the trail continued, continuing to curl around the tree before leading up to the second level of their camp. It was here that the nursery, elder’s den, warrior’s den, and apprentice’s den rest.

Almost immediately after they arrived, Lightgaze began to organize the next patrol. His sister, Frostbriar, along with Stonepelt and Ruststorm, had been sent out on a morning hunting patrol already. Without hesitation he ordered Graylion, Lionheart, Ivyleaf, Oakheart, Blackpaw, and Deathpaw out on the next border patrol. They would be marking the southern border today.

Willowpaw felt her stomach clench at the thought, as though Lightgaze had assigned  _ her  _ on the new patrol. The Dark Forest was the one place she never wanted to venture. Helping the outside world was without question her life’s mission. But that didn’t include the Shadow Walkers. Not yet, anyways.

Graylion, being the most senior warrior in the group, took the lead without question, signaling for the rest to follow him as they made their way down towards the forest floor.

Willowpaw watched them descend, when the sound of whispered words caught her attention. She jerked her head towards the source, watching curiously as Lightgaze murmured inaudible words to Lightmist, beckoning her into the medicine den.

_ What are they up to? _

She knew it wasn’t her place to pry. If they wanted her there, they would’ve invited her. But it was hard to pretend she hadn’t seen them; especially after what the gray tabby had said earlier on the patrol. If it might affect her, wasn’t it her business?

The young she-cat shook her head in annoyance, growling slightly as she attempted to clear her thoughts.

_ It’s not your business. Just walk away. _

“You wish to know what they speak of.”

“Holy shit!” Willowpaw exclaimed, tail shooting straight into the air. The Elderclan leader’s words had taken her so off guard that she’d nearly jumped out of her fur. The tortoiseshell apprentice whipped around to face him, her green eyes flying wide open in shock.

“Oh- Elkstar. Please accept my apologies. I meant you no disrespect,” she meowed instantly, fighting to not stumble over her words as she threw herself into a bow. While she didn’t respect many of his beliefs, he was still her leader. She would honor his title; it was the right thing to do.

Much to her relief, he wasted no time in responding, beckoning her to a stand.

“You are forgiven, child. Rise.”

It felt as though her heart was going to fly out of her chest. Where had he come from? It was as though he’d appeared suddenly out of thin air, and to spy on her, nonetheless. It was already shameful enough to be caught in the middle of eavesdropping, but then she’d gone on to curse in front of the most respected and honored cat in all of The Realm.

_ Off to a great start. Absolutely killing it. _

“I thank you for your forgiveness,” she replied breathlessly, rising to a stand while attempting to regain her composure. Despite the calm expression on her face, her blood was pounding in her ears. “Lightmist made a peculiar remark during our border patrol… When Lightgaze took her to the medicine den after our return, my curiosity got the best of me. But I know it is not my place.”

The words flowed off her tongue rather easily. If anything, being honest with him began to settle her nerves. She supposed it made sense. Afterall, if you couldn’t trust the one who led you, then what was the point of following them?

“Ah, yes,” he replied distantly, staring over her head into the sea of trees behind her. “She senses him too.”

“Him?” she blurted out instantly.

_ Fuck, Willowpaw. Get your shit together. _

“Er, sorry…” She cleared her throat, eyes flickering around nervously. “What do you mean?”

The Elderclan leader stood before her, unmoving as the wind ran through his pelt, toying with his fur and dancing along his nose. He squinted his pale blue eyes ever so slightly, seeming to be deep in thought, as he always was. Sometimes she wondered if he was a mere figment of her imagination. It was like he was never truly here. His body remained in The Realm, but his spirit was forever wandering, flowing through time and space. Seeing all, knowing all.

“A tom,” he rumbled suddenly. His words were thick like molasses, oozing from his mouth as he spoke. “He goes by the name Asmodeus. He is not from our world.”

His honesty surprised her. Usually he spoke in riddles, if he even spoke at all. His blatant transparency and openness with her was flattering. She wondered what he saw in her that made him so comfortable conveying the truth.

“I’ve never heard of him,” she replied, blinking up at him calmly.

A subtle chuckle of amusement rumbled in his chest as he finally fixed his gaze on her. “I would be quite surprised if you had.”

She smiled nervously, unsure of what to say. Never before had she spoken with him. Not like this. He was rarely seen by the clan outside of their traditional ceremonies. So she wondered, what compelled him to talk to her now?

“Who is he?” Willowpaw asked eventually, figuring that was the next logical thing to say.

The Elderclan leader seemed to hesitate for a moment, and while the build-up felt excruciating, his response left her feeling even more confused, and empty.

“He is no one, from nowhere. Yet he is always there. Waiting.”

She watched him silently, mind reeling.

_ What the hell is that supposed to mean _ .

Much to her relief, he continued.

“Lightmist senses his arrival. He marches on the clans as we speak.”

“Is that why you increased patrols?” she meowed openly.

“Yes.”

Willowpaw stared up at the tall gray leader, her fiery green eyes raging with the flames of curiosity. How much of a threat was one single cat against the endless armies of the clans?

“Why are you telling me all of this?...” Her voice was firm, but confusion lathered her words. It made no sense. Why her? Why now?

“It will all make sense in time. You cannot change fate,” he meowed distantly. His voice trailed off ominously, leaving her feeling even more tense. His words reminded her of the conversation she’d had with Lightgaze the night before. She’d told him destiny was always ever changing, never set in stone. But how different was fate from destiny? How much truth lay within the leader’s revelations?

Willowpaw continued to stare up at him, the expression on her face unreadable. It was one of those moments where she wasn’t sure how to feel, but she didn’t want to make the situation more uncomfortable than it already was. It was hard to process everything she’d just learned, and even harder to process when she didn’t have the full picture. Lucky for her, Flamepelt saved her from further mental turmoil.

“Good morning Elkstar. Willowpaw.” The orange tabby approached from the other side of the clearing, dipping her head in greeting to both of them. “Sorry to interrupt. I’d promised Willowpaw I’d take her hunting today. I figured now would be the perfect time.”

The young tortoiseshell did her best to hide her confusion.

_ Hunting _ ?

“The perfect time is when we are in the middle of a discussion?” Elkstar hissed accusingly. “Mind your manners, Flamepelt.”

The senior warrior nodded respectfully in understanding before continuing, remaining humble while also enforcing her original message. “The prey will be drawn out by the sun’s warmth shortly. I felt it would be wise to get a head start and make our way down to the floor. It was not my intention to disrespect, Elkstar. Please accept my apology.”

The leader eyed her suspiciously for a moment, making no effort to hide the irritation in his glare. But eventually he gave her a curt nod, flicking his tail at them in a sign of dismissal.

Willowpaw wasted no time in following Flameheart to the camp’s entrance after meowing her goodbyes to the leader. While she had questions, at this point, she was simply grateful to have gotten away.

“You looked like you’d rather be sharing tongues with a Shadow Walker than continue that conversation,” the orange tabby meowed, a subtle smirk of amusement on her face. “I thought you might need some help getting out of it.”

“Oh…” she replied, wincing slightly. “Was it that obvious?”

“Maybe…”

Willowpaw looked back in the direction she’d come from, hoping to catch a glimpse of Elkstar one last time, but he was no longer there.

“Well, thank you,” she meowed, smiling up at the senior warrior appreciatively.

“Anytime.”

“We should probably make our way down… I don’t want to draw unnecessary attention.”

Flameheart nodded in agreement with her words, beginning to walk along the path that led towards the forest floor.

She followed the senior warrior silently, feeling an unusual heaviness to her step. It was like her body was weighed down by the burden of Elkstar’s revelation. She’d wanted to know what Lightgaze and Lightmist were talking about, but it hadn’t been worth it in the end. All she’d learned was fragments of the truth from the last person she’d expected, and felt even more confused than before.

The flat wood was warm beneath her paws as they headed down, and as the crisp scent of the forest flooded her senses, she decided to rid her mind of all worries. Something in her heart told her to savor every peaceful moment, because soon, there would be none left to be found.

_ Who are you, Asmodeus? And what do you want with my people? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of felt a little detached from this chapter... I did my best to make something of it, but I wouldn't say it's my best work.
> 
> I still hope whoever reads it enjoys it and I hope your week is off to a great start!
> 
> I turned 21 last Friday. I can finally get drunk legally. Woohoo!
> 
> Much love xoxo


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